New Year: TAT expect seven percent rise in foreign visitors

Thai tourism chief Yuthasak Suphasorn painted a rosy picture for tourism during the five day New Year period. 

He told Thai business media that an increase in flights this year will mean a sharp rise in the number of visitors.

Though Thansettakij cautioned that with the value of the baht and general economic situation those visitors are not expected to spend much more than they have in the past.

From December 28th to January 1st the media reported that tourism revenue in the country as a whole is expected to be nearly 24 billion baht. 

Roughly half of this total will come from the expenditure of foreign visitors. There are thought to be 690,000 visitors coming in the New Year period from abroad – this would be a 7% rise on last year. 

Domestic tourists – 3.16 million of them –  are expected to spend 11.8 billion baht. 

Foreign tourists on average will spend 5,300 baht per day said the media. 

Yuthasak said that increased flight from China and Japan in particular will help to swell the number of visitors. 

The positive outlook comes after much doom and gloom in recent reports, notes Thaivisa. 

Thai Visa / Thansettakij

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