Surat Thani expects B833m from five-day holiday

SURAT THANI: A five-day holiday next week is expected to attract more than 70,000 visitors to this southern province and generate 833 million baht in revenue from tourist spending, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) Surat Thani office.

Nanthawan Siripoksapat, director of TAT’s Surat Thani office, said on Saturday that 74,182 visitors – 46,429 Thais and 27,753 foreigners – were booked to visit the southern province during the five-day holiday period, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday. Wednesday coincides with Asanha Bucha Day and Buddhist Lent Day is on Thursday. 

The hotel occupancy rate was 50.94%, with the average stay 3.89 nights per person, Ms Nanthawan said.

Tourist arrivals were expected to generate 833.18 million baht to the local economy during this holiday period - 330.16 million baht from Thai visitors and 503.02 million baht from foreign tourists.

The average spending for Thai visitors was forecast at 3,121.10 baht per head per day, and foreign visitors at 3,700.32 baht, said Ms Nanthawan.

The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan and scuba driving on Koh Tao were magnets for young visitors to this southern province. Other tourist sites were also popular among tourists, she said.

The number of flights on Bangkok-Koh Samui route will increase to 19-24 a day, while the number of flights between Bangkok and Surat Thani will increase to 41-52 flights a day, she said.