Bangkok (Thailand) – January 9, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is once again hosting the Thailand Tourism Festival (TTF) in Lumpini Park, Bangkok. The festival will highlight the diverse attractions that domestic and international tourists can enjoy in the Kingdom, all with free admission. Coinciding with the 2017 Chinese New Year, the festival will run from January 25 to 29, 2017, and is expected to draw over 650,000 visitors. Ninety percent of these visitors are projected to travel to Thailand during 2017, potentially generating up to 400 million baht in revenue.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the TAT, said: “Thailand has so much to offer visitors and domestic tourists alike, and we want this year’s Thailand Tourism Festival to showcase the unique experiences and attractions of all parts of the country. At Lumpini Park, visitors can experience the cuisine, festivals, and culture of all five regions before deciding on a destination. They can also enjoy live music, cultural performances, raffles, and a wonderful holiday atmosphere – Thailand is showing its best side right here in the heart of Bangkok.”

At the TTF 2017, activities are organized in ten zones showcasing Thai culture from Thailand's five main regions: North, Northeast, East, South, and Central. Each zone offers demonstrations of local culture and cuisine. On the first day, visitors can participate in alms-giving to 88 monks at 7:00 AM. Additionally, those who spend at least 10,000 baht can enter a raffle to win airline tickets worth over one million baht.

The ten zones of the Thailand Tourism Festival include:

Zone 1: Botanical Garden: Here, flower displays are shown in honor of King Rama IX and King Rama X; there are also displays on the royal routes in the five regions, where visitors can follow in the footsteps of the King and see examples of projects initiated by Rama IX to help the Thai people.

Zone 2: Discover Thailand in Five Regions: Here, visitors can explore the diversity of Thailand through examples from the five regions. Handicrafts, culture, and traditions are also showcased. Visitors can admire replicas of landmarks from the different regions, including temples and other sites. A village in the north provides insights into the local hill tribes, Doi Tung cafes, and vegetables from royal cultivation projects. The northeastern village (Isan) features a replica of Phra That Phanom. The village in Central Thailand offers replicas of famous markets and traditional houses, as well as delicious local specialties. In a village in southern Thailand, visitors discover a coastal town with southern Thai seafood, curries, and a local market. The eastern village offers a variety of attractions in addition to beaches and islands, including eastern culture, lifestyle, and unique local products, as well as a replica of the famous Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Exhibits of Chanthaburi's renowned gemstones are also featured.

Zone 3: Unique culinary delights: This zone offers dishes from all five regions, including 50 districts of Bangkok. This allows visitors to experience the vibrancy and diversity of Saudi cuisine firsthand.

Zone 4: The TAT Zone showcases the work of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Thailand Tourism Awards, current activities, and upcoming campaigns. Tourists planning a trip through the country will find a wealth of information here. There is also a selection of food trucks offering delicious treats.

Zone 5: The TAT recommendations inform visitors about interesting tourist routes and travel packages, such as Thailand's 12 hidden gems.

Zone 6: The Outdoor Fest presents a new way of traveling that will allow you to have completely new experiences in Thailand.

Zone 7: Main stage where numerous leading singers and entertainers will present pop and country songs, as well as cultural performances from the People's Republic of China and plays.

Zone 8: Chinatown celebrates Chinese New Year 2017, the Year of the Rooster. Visitors can have their fortunes told and pay homage to the Chinese gods. Chinese chefs prepare delicious dishes, and artists from the People's Republic of China perform. They can also learn more about the various customs surrounding Chinese New Year in Thailand.

Zone 9: The Geology Zone houses a geological park with dinosaur exhibits, educational displays about fossils, and a large screen that presents the many discoveries in the kingdom as part of a virtual tour.

Zone 10: The selfie zone with the TAT mascot, Nong Sukjai, is the perfect place for photos, as decorations and colored lights reflecting the decorative styles of Thailand's 77 provinces create a perfect backdrop.

At the TTF 2017, environmentally friendly activities such as recycling are also being promoted in a playful way. The aim is to make Thailand's tourism industry more sustainable and to make Thailand a regional role model for green tourism.

“I am sure that all visitors to this event will enjoy their time and feel inspired to travel to other parts of Thailand during 2017. We can only offer a small taste of the Kingdom’s charms, but we hope this will be enough to awaken a desire to travel to Thailand in everyone, Thais and locals alike,” said Mr. Yuthasak.

The Thailand Tourism Festival 2017 takes place from January 25th to 29th, from 2 PM to 10 PM in Lumpini Park. Visitors are advised to arrive via the Sala Daeng BTS station or the Silom MRT subway station.

International Public Relations Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel.: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48, Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.TATnews.org