BANGKOK, 18 Dec 2013 Tourism will generate 18 billion baht in revenue during the New Year holidays from December 28th to January 1st, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). TAT’s Director of Souvenir Division Wilaiwan Tawitchasri said that out of the expected revenue, about 16.35 billion baht will come from domestic tourism with 2.48 million travelers, a 5% increase from the same period last year.
She explained an additional holiday announced by the government is credited for the increasing number of domestic travelers and public spending, as it offers tourists more time to prepare and execute their travel plans.
According to her, the North is the most popular destination with well over 690,000 travelers planning to visit the area, followed by the East at 600,000 and the southern region at 300,000 visitors. Bangkok is likely to welcome 300,000 tourists during the New Year holidays.
Ms. Wilaiwan brushed off effects of the current political conflicts on tourism, saying that the number of international flights does not show signs of declining. The expected number of foreign visitors during the New Year period is 500,000, with a total spending of 2 billion baht.
