TAT invites Songkran travellers to secondary cities

BANGKOK, April 4 (TNA) - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) encourages festivalgoers to visit 55 secondary provinces during the Songkran - Thai New Year holiday. TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn on Wednesday told a press conference at the event to promote domestic tourism during the upcoming Songkran festival. TAT invites festivalgoers to wear Thai-styled costumes to enjoy splashing water, particularly at second tiered tourist provinces. It targets to distribute tourist arrivals to these provinces by holding the major Songkran fair in Khamphaeng Phet, Kalasin, Sing Buri, Chanthaburi and Nakhon Si Thammarat. The TAT governor said it is good opportunity for Thai people to wear Thai costumes, local clothes or traditional dresses to create unique atmosphere, representing the beauty of Thai culture. TAT estimates 3 million tourists and 530,000 foreign tourists during the holiday period from April 12-17. The country is likely to earn an income of 20 billion baht in total, up 18 per cent year-on-year. Travellers in secondary provinces can deduct their spending of up to 15,000 baht on accommodations and service from their taxable income next year. The government’s tourism tax break measure is aimed at distributing tourism income to local communities in the provinces, which are not major tourist destinations. (TNA)