Robust outlook for domestic travel sector: KRC

BANGKOK. April 11 (TNA) – Thailand’s domestic tourism segment is projected to represent robust revenue growth in the first half of this year owing to Songkran long holiday and popularity of cultural and heritage tourism, said the Kasikorn Research Center. The leading think-tank estimated that domestic travel market will value at 515 billion baht in the first half of 2018, up 8.5 per cent year-on-year. The number of domestic travellers is projected to reach 74.8 million, a 5.4 per cent growth year-on-year. The Songkran or Thai New Year celebration from April 11-17 is likely to generate an income of about 15.5 billion baht in the domestic travel segment, up 15.8 per cent from the same period last year. The big trend in travelling to historical sites also contributes to the growth in domestic travel in the first half of this year, the KRC said. It also projects that the domestic tourism will continue to grow in the second half of 2018, supported by the government’s stimulus measure, offering tax deduction for visitors to 55 secondary provinces. (TNA)