The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is set to host Amazing Thailand Countdown 2020 in emerging destinations and co-host several countdown events in big cities, aiming to generate 23.8 billion baht in tourism income during the holidays.
The six second-tier provinces planned to host the events are Sukhothai, Phatthalung, Lop Buri, Kalasin, Sa Kaeo and Ratchaburi.
The events will help disperse the flow of tourists and contribute more tourism income during the festive season to locals.
The TAT estimates that 225,000 people will attend the celebrations and generate 500 million baht, according to governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
Meanwhile, the TAT is supporting year-end celebrations in major provinces in various regions, including Bangkok, Phuket, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen.
Mr Yuthasak said the agency plans to develop countdown events to become one of the world's premier countdown destinations and boost tourist arrivals.
The plan is being heightened because several cities in Thailand are already popular places for New Year's Eve celebrations in the region.
Agoda, the online travel booking platform, has named Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya as the most popular destinations for celebrating countdown events.
The TAT has also worked with Chiang Rai province and the Thai-Myanmar Culture and Economic Association to host Happy New Year Asean 2020 in Mae Sai district for tourists from Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
Mr Yuthasak expects Thais to take 3.16 million domestic trips and contribute 11.8 billion baht during the five days of the New Year holidays, Dec 28 to Jan 1.
International tourists celebrating New Year in Thailand are forecast to number 690,000 and generate 12 billion baht in tourism receipts, up 4% in volume and value from last year.
Mr Yuthasak is encouraging Thais to travel domestically during the year-end holidays to help push tourism to reach the TAT's goals of 167 million trips and 1.1 trillion baht in revenue, up 1% and 3% from last year.
There was a sharp rise in the number of Thai outbound tourists in the first 11 months of 2019, thanks to the strong baht. Some 12.27 million Thais took overseas trips during the period, a 10% rise year-on-year.
But the TAT is still upbeat that foreign arrivals this year will reach 39.77 million and contribute 1.96 trillion baht in tourism income, up 4% in volume and value.
All told, tourism is expected to generate 3.06 trillion baht for the Thai economy, up 4% from 2018.
Mr Yuthasak forecasts tourism to generate 3.18 trillion baht next year, up 4%, breaking down to 2.02 trillion baht from the international market (+3%) and 1.16 trillion baht (+5%) from domestic tourism.
Foreign arrivals next year are seen at 40.8 million, up 2.5%, while Thais are set to make 172 million trips, up 3%.