The four-day weekend attracted a large number of tourists to the three main resort islands of the province-Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao-and mainland attractions, putting in local circulation a reported 220 million baht.
Tourists on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao Islands accounted for 120 million baht of the total spending, and the mainland for about 100 million baht.
Alone, Koh Samui received about 17,000 tourists-an estimated 80 percent of them from Bangkok and other provinces, and 20 percent from foreigners and locals on home visits or business trips.
There were roughly 4,000 daily arrivals on Koh Samui by ferry and 1,400 by air on Saturday and Sunday.
Supakan Yodchun, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) Samui office, attributed the increase in visitors during the holiday to the government's tourism promotion programme, which enabled tourists to register for discounts at hotels and restaurants via the website.
The director of TAT's Surat Thani office, Nanthawan Siripokphat, said popular mainland attractions included the Ratchaprapa Dam reservoir in Ban Takhun district, Khao Sok National Park in Phanom district, and Khlong Nam Sai.
Provincial Governor Wichwut Jinto has said new life was given to the tourism sector. All the companies were willing to welcome visitors in a new-normal style, he said.
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