Eastern Tourism Improved on Long Holiday

CHANTHABURI, Sept 7 (TNA) – Crowds of tourists flocked into the eastern province and sought local home stay services during the extended weekend. Their arrival proved to stimulate local tourism and economy. The government made the long holiday from Sept 4 to 7 in lieu of the Songkran holiday in April that had been canceled due to COVID-19. The government raised its 40% accommodation subsidy period from five to ten nights per tourist and increased its daily meal subsidy from 600 baht to 900 baht on weekdays. The government also gave a refund of 2,000 baht per air ticket to stimulate domestic tours. The expanded subsidies started on Sept 1. Besides, the government allowed the government officials who use the subsidies to take additional leaves of two days without recording the additional leaves in their leave registration. The measures prompted a large number of tourists to visit eastern tourist destinations. Local hotels and home stay places were mostly occupied during the long holiday. Income was thus distributed there as visitors bought products and food and used the services of tour guides, operators and workers. Local operators were asking the government to keep issuing tourism promotion measures to increase the number of tourists. (TNA)