Thailand expects Songkran tourism boost
Thailand is expecting this year’s Songkran holiday period will generate 2.7 million domestic and international tourists and estimated expenditures of THB11.1 billion (US$377m), up 10% and 20% over last year’s festival period.
Also known as the Thai New Year, the country’s water-soaked holiday period runs from 12-16 April this year, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) believes that a combination of political and economic stability will create a tourism boom. The number of domestic travellers is expected to reach 2.03m with expenditures of almost THB4.5m, and 678,000 international visitors are expected to arrive, spending THB6.7m.
“Thanks to domestic political stability and a generally good economic situation, both within Thailand within our key source markets in the Asia Pacific, we are expecting to have record number of visitors nationwide. We hope that the festival will help everyone cool off in more ways than one,” said TAT Governor, Suraphon Svetasreni.
The TAT reported that 177 charter flights totalling almost 32,000 seats are scheduled to arrive from major markets such as China and Russia during the Songkran festival period. This will go a long way to helping Thailand to achieve its full-year target of 24.09m international visitors in 2013. In the first two months of the year arrivals to Thailand totalled 4.56m, up 18.8% over the same period last year.
“Songkran is a time of renewal, rest, recreation, release, and bonding with families who sometimes see each other only during this time of year. If there is any time of year to visit, enjoy, and learn about Thailand, Songkran is it. There is nothing anywhere quite like it, and you’re unlikely to forget your Thai New Year experiences anytime soon,” said Suraphon.