Thailand is gearing up for an extended three-week Songkran festival this year, expected to significantly boost the country’s tourism sector, with projected revenues reaching into the tens of billions of baht. Thanks to UNESCO’s recognition of Songkran as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, festivities are planned across major destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Pattaya from April 1 to 21.
Optimism is high for an increase in visitor numbers to Chiang Mai, spurred by an aggressive promotional campaign. The city is preparing for a longer festival period than usual, with hopes for hotel booking rates to hit 65-70% between April 12 and 16 and an average occupancy rate of 55-60% for the entire month.
Pattaya is also looking forward to its unique “Wan Lai” festival, starting April 19. The festival will merge cultural traditions with modern entertainment, with promises of water fights, DJ performances, and live bands. To ensure the safety of tourists, extensive security measures are in place, and hotel bookings have significantly increased, particularly from Chinese visitors.
Khao San road in Bangkok is expecting around 100,000 visitors for the Songkran festivities from April 13 to 15, permitting events to run until 9 pm. Responsible government units have been instructed to continue promoting the extended festival to draw in international tourists and to adhere to transparent communication regarding the schedule of events.
In Phuket, the “Songkran Water Music Festival on the Beach 2024” and other cultural events are expected to attract scores of tourists, with hotel bookings already nearing 80% capacity. The island province expects to welcome over 264,350 visitors, generating approximately 7.04 billion baht in revenue.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) estimates that the upcoming Songkran festival will generate nationwide revenue of 52.5 billion baht, a substantial increase from the previous year’s figures. The central administration is focused on improving information dissemination to ensure visitors receive accurate details about this festival’s nationwide celebrations and to enhance the overall experience for all participants. (NNT)
