SURAT THANI: The four-day government weekend that began on Friday was expected to draw more than 50,000 visitors to this southern province, with spending forecast at 484 million baht, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Nanthawan Siripoksapat, director of TAT’s Surat Thani office, said on Friday that 53,541 visitors - 36,721 Thais and 16,820 foreigners - were booked to visit popular destinations in the province during the long weekend. The hotel occupancy rate was 39.76% and the average stay 2.61 nights per person.
Tourists were expected to pump 484.77 million baht into the local economy during the holiday - 295.32 million baht from Thai visitors and 189.45 million from foreigners.
The average spending for Thai visitors was forecast at 3,145 baht per head per day, and foreigners 3,797 baht, Ms Nanthawan said.
Ratchaprapa Dam, Khao Sok National Park, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, where there is a Full Moon Party, and Koh Nang Yuan or Koh Tao were popular destinations, she said.
“The number of flights to Koh Samui will increase to 15-17 a day and number of passenger boats and speedboats from Koh Samui to Koh Phangan during the Full Moon Party will also increase. Large catamaran passenger boats will provide services for tourists on Chumphon-Koh Tao and Koh Samui-Koh Tao routes. There will be an average 10-12 flights a day to Surat Thani airport a day,’’ Ms Nanthawan said.
Thawit Somwong, chairman of the Hat Rin tourist operators club, said the Full Moon Party on May 16 was expected to draw 6,000-7,000 visitors to Hat Rin beach on Koh Phangan. The atmosphere was expected to be lively now Covid-19 restrictions had been eased, coupled with the four-day holiday, Mr Thawit said.
