SURAT THANI: The four-day weekend that started yesterday is expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors to this southern province, with total spending forecast at nearly half a billion baht, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The long weekend stems from two public holidays -- yesterday's Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day and the Visakha Bucha on Monday.
Nanthawan Siripoksapat, director of the TAT's Surat Thani office, said that 53,541 visitors -- 36,721 Thais and 16,820 foreigners -- were booked to visit popular destinations in the province during the period. The hotel occupancy rate is 39.76% and the average stay 2.6 nights per person.
Tourists were expected to pump 484.77 million baht into the local economy -- 295.32 million baht from Thai visitors and 189.45 million from foreigners.
The former are tipped to spend 3,145 baht each per day whereas foreign tourists will fork out 3,797 baht, Ms Nanthawan said.
The most popular destinations are Ratchaprapa Dam, Khao Sok National Park, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan -- where there will be a Full Moon Party on Monday that is expected to draw 6,000-7,000 visitors-- and Koh Nang Yuan or Koh Tao, Ms Nanthawan said.
"The number of flights to Koh Samui will increase to 15-17 a day and passenger boats and speedboats from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan during the Full Moon Party will also increase," she said.
"Large catamaran passenger boats will provide services for tourists on the Chumphon-Koh Tao and Koh Samui-Koh Tao routes. There will be an average of 10-12 flights a day to Surat Thani airport."