Fireworks lit up the Bangkok sky shortly before midnight on Saturday (31 Dec) as Thailand celebrated the arrival of the New Year 2023 with high hope for recovery in the tourism industry.
Countdown events held in downtown Bangkok brought together local and foreign tourists before a dazzling fireworks display over the Chao Phraya River.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said it was hosting and supporting such events to conclude 2022, which saw the return of foreign tourists together with the recovery of domestic tourism after the relaxation of disease prevention measures.
The agency also hosted a countdown event in Songkhla province to promote tourism in the kingdom’s southern region.
Tourism, a key engine of growth for the Thai economy before the pandemic, has been hit hard by the pandemic.
The government significantly loosened the restrictions for foreign visitors in the middle of 2022, before further dropping requirements for international travelers to show proof of vaccination or test results upon arrival starting in October. This marked the nation’s complete reopening to international tourism.
The TAT said it expected total foreign tourist arrivals in 2022 to reach 11.5 million.
Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith recently said tourism would be the main driver for Thailand to achieve 3.8% growth in 2023 after an expansion of 3.1-3.2% in 2022. (NNT)
