A million foreign arrivals expected for Chinese New Year in February – TAT

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has predicted that almost a million foreign tourists will visit the kingdom during the Chinese New Year festival, which runs from February 8^th to 16^th, generating an estimated 28 billion baht in revenues.

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said that the number of foreign arrivals, especially from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, is expected to increase by 29% compared to last year.

Arrivals from China during this year’s festival are forecast to increase threefold, to about 150,000, while arrivals from Taiwan and Hong Kong are expected to increase by 137%.

Moreover, about two million Thais of Chinese descent are expected to travel to celebrate the Chinese New Year, an increase of about 10% over last year. They are also expected to spend as much as 6 billion baht during the festival, said Thapanee.

Meanwhile, Thanet Tantipiriyakij, president of…