Bangkok (VNA) – The TourismAuthority of Thailand (TAT) is planning to host New Year’s Eve events inemerging destinations, aiming to generate 23.8 billion baht (786.7 million USD)in tourism income during the holiday season.

In addition to New Year celebrations inmajor localities including Bangkok, Phuket, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen, the sixsecond-tier provinces planning to host events are Sukhothai, Phatthalung, LopBuri, Kalasin, Sa Kaeo and Ratchaburi.

The events will help disperse the flow oftourists and contribute more tourism income during the festive season.

The TAT estimates that 225,000 people willattend the celebrations and generate 500 million baht, according to GovernorYuthasak Supasorn.

Thai people are expected to go on 3.16million domestic trips and contribute 11.8 billion baht during the five-dayholiday from December 28 to January 1.

International tourists celebrating New Yearin Thailand are forecast to number 690,000 and generate 12 billion baht, up 4percent from last year.

Yuthasak is encouraging Thais to traveldomestically during the year-end holiday to help tourism revenue hit the TAT'sgoals of 167 million trips and 1.1 trillion baht in revenue, up 1 percent and 3percent from last year./.