More than 150,000 tourists visited popular attractions in Surat Thani last month, generating 1.25 billion baht to this southern coastal province, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Nantawan Siripokapat, director of TAT’s Surat Thani office, said on Saturday that a total of 157,623 tourists -145,947 Thais and 11,676 foreigners – had visited popular destinations, such as Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, during April. The hotel occupancy rate was 42.20%, up 7.68% from the same time last year.
The average stay during April was 1.18 nights per person. Tourist arrivals generated 1.13 billion baht from Thai visitors and 121.57 million from international travellers. The average spending for Thais was 3,172.36 baht per head per day, while foreign tourists spent an average of 3,245.77 baht per head per day, said Ms Nantawan.
She attributed the improved tourism situation to campaigns both in domestic and foreign markets as well as Songkran festivities on Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
The government’s Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) tourism promotion campaign and the easing of Covid-19 restrictions have also stimulated tourism in this southern province, said the TAT official.
During the Labour Day break from April 30 to May 2, a total of 44,743 tourists - 31,168 Thais and 13,575 foreigners – had travelled to Surat Thani, with the hotel occupancy rate of 42.26%, she said.
Tourists had stayed an average of 2.61 nights, generating about 403.56 million baht in revenue. Of the revenue, 250.66 million baht was from Thais and 152.90 million baht from foreigners.
"Many places like Koh Rap, Thalae Waek, Koh Ma, Koh Nang Yuan and Ratchaprapa Dam are increasingly popular among tourists,’’ added Ms Nantawan.
