Thailand has a bumper crop during Lunar New Year

During the Asian New Year week, Thailand welcomed nearly 880,000 visitors, generating 1.2 times more revenue than expected.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudawan Wangsuphakitkoson said on February 13 that Thailand attracted a large number of international visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday. In the seven days from February 5 to 11, nearly 880,000 visitors arrived, an increase of over 13% compared to the previous week. On average, nearly 125,000 visitors entered the country each day during the holiday. Previously, the government had projected nearly one million international visitors for the New Year period (February 8-16).

Thailand is holding New Year celebrations to attract tourists in Hua Hin. Photo: Khaosod

The majority of visitors come from Southeast Asia and East Asia, including mainland China, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, India, and Russia.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), tourism revenue during the Lunar New Year period is estimated to reach over $950 million, 1.2 times higher than initially projected and a 36% increase compared to the same period last year.

The head of Thailand's Ministry of Culture and Tourism said that international visitors are expected to continue arriving in February. Visa-free policies for visitors from China, India, Taiwan, and Kazakhstan, along with increased flight frequency, are greatly supporting Thailand's tourism industry. The country is also anticipating a surge in visitors during the Songkran water festival. The Thai government announced on February 13th that Songkran 2024 will last five days, from April 12th to 16th, to boost spending by both domestic and international tourists. Previously, officials had considered extending Songkran to a month.

(By Anh Minh , based on Khaosod and Bangkok Post )

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