Lent gives tourism a lift

Domestic travel spend will reach Bt120 billion during the three-month Buddhist Lent merit making period according to Kasikorn Research Centre.
The centre said merit-making trips and pilgrimages are now more popular and this is boosting the travel spend during what is considered low-season months July to September.
Hotels and other travel related services hope Thai tourists will offset the shortfall in international arrivals during the rainy season.
The centre estimated that Thais will make 30.2 million domestic trips in Q3, up 6.0% year-on-year. Their spending should reach Bt120 billion, up 8.1%.
In the first quarter, domestic travel grew by 9.6% and this trend is expected to increase.
Of the Bt120 billion spend, Bt27.5 billion will go to accommodation, Bt26.5 billion to local product purchases, Bt21.5 billion to food and beverage and Bt36 billion to transport and entertainment.
The centre expects that domestic trips will increase 6.1% year-on-year. During the last quarter Thais travel north where temperatures are lower during October through to December.
Kasikorn Research Centre is a subsidiary company of Kasikorn Bank, which conducts tourism and business research mainly on Thailand’s economy including tourism with recommendations and indicators on business prospects.

Sourced: ttrweekly