Hat Yai: 760 million baht profit predicted from New Year festivities

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) forecasts a staggering 760 million baht windfall for Hat Yai during the upcoming New Year holiday period.

Nongyao Jirundon, the TAT’s Hat Yai office director, predicts an unprecedented surge in arrivals from both foreign and domestic tourists between December 30 and January 1. The city is already buzzing with excitement, especially with the influx of visitors from neighbouring Malaysia, who have been streaming in since Christmas.

Nongyao attributes this remarkable upswing to strategic tourism initiatives, including the suspension of the cumbersome TM 6 forms at the Sadao immigration checkpoint in Songkhla. She also credits the success to a month-long campaign featuring standout events like the Amazing Countdown Songkhla Festival 2024 (December 27 to 31) and the grand Hat Yai Countdown to 2024 tomorrow, December 31, reported Bangkok Post.

Witthaya Sae Lim, a local tour guide in Songkhla, reports that hoteliers are giddy with anticipation, having shared positive outlooks with tour companies and guides. Bookings are soaring high for the New Year holiday, with a promising continuation through the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations on February 10 and the school semester breaks. Witthaya confidently predicts robust hotel occupancy until the grand Songkran festival in April.

In related news, CNN International has handpicked the iconic Wat Arun in Bangkok to be the star of their global New Year’s Eve Live celebrations. Under the banner of Wichit Arun, this extravaganza promises to showcase the vibrant tapestry of Thai identity through a stunning display of fireworks. On the eve of December 28, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) proudly announced that CNN International has chosen Wat Arun, Bangkok, as the exclusive live broadcast location for their New Year’s Eve celebrations.

In other news, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has chosen 10 second-tier provinces to be promoted as first-tier tourist hotspots on December 26. This strategic initiative, concocted in collaboration with the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand, is set to revolutionise the tourism landscape.