IN AN attempt to stimulate domestic tourism spending, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will be spending 75 million baht (US$2.5 million) for this year’s Thailand Tourism Festival in Bangkok from June 8 to 12.

TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said that the Thai NTO expected the event to attract some 230,000 Thailand-based local and foreign visitors, which would inject some 230 to 250 million baht into the local economy. These estimates are about 10 per cent higher than last year's.

The annual B2C event forms part of the TAT’s ongoing efforts to boost domestic tourism in the country, to reduce Thailand’s dependence on inbound travel. It is held concurrently with the annual B2B Thailand Travel Mart, taking place this year from June 8 to 10 at the same venue, the IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.

TAT is expecting the country’s tourism industry to generate about one trillion baht in revenue this year, with some 400 billion baht coming from domestic tourism.