SONGKHLA: Over 150,000 tourists from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia have spent their Christmas and New Year holidays in southern Thailand, contributing more than 1 billion Baht to the local economy.
The President of the Hatyai-Songkhla Hotel Association, Sittipong Sitthipatrapha, said Thailand remains a preferred destination for tourists from these three countries due to its diverse and attractive tourism offerings and affordable local cuisine.
"More than 30,000 hotel rooms have been fully booked by both domestic and international tourists in southern Thailand since Dec 25, particularly in Hat Yai and Songkhla," he told Bernama yesterday.
Popular tourist attractions in Songkhla province include Samila Beach, Songkhla Old Town, and the Khlong Hae Floating Market. In Pattani province, key attractions include the Clock Tower Roundabout and Lang Kwaeng Road.
A Malaysian tourist, Yusniza Mohd Yussof from Penang, who was met in Pattani, said she and her family chose to holiday in southern Thailand because of its proximity, delicious food, and affordable accommodation.
"My family and I often travel to Thailand because the food there is delicious, cheap, and reasonably priced. On top of that, hotels are also affordable and comfortable," she said.
Yusniza added that her family particularly enjoys visiting Pattani and Narathiwat due to the wide variety of halal food and the friendly locals in these areas.
Earlier, Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawong Thienthong, announced that 35 million international tourists visited Thailand from January 1 to Dec 29, 2024, generating over 1.66 trillion Baht in tourism revenue.
He noted that Chinese tourists topped the list with over 6.7 million arrivals, followed by Malaysians in second place with 4.9 million, India (2.1 million), South Korea (1.8 million), and Russia (1.7 million).-- BERNAMA