The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) will use social media influencers to attract more local tourists and grow domestic travel this year.
Thais are being urged to explore their land.
TAT on Friday kicked off its new tourism campaign, Tiew Thai Teh (Travel Thai Cool), to use social media influencers to convince Thai tourists to travel more domestically.
Many social media influencers, mostly young celebrities and internet stars, will be used to inspire Thai people to become trend setters pioneering local fashion, food, shopping, photography, culture and traditions nationwide.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the social media influencers can encourage young people to travel more, as this demographic spends a lot of time online and connects via social networks.
"I believe this Tiew Thai Teh campaign will create travel awareness among more than 10 million Gen-Y people. We expect to grow domestic travel during the coming long holidays in April and May by 10%," he said.
TAT chairman Kalin Sarasin said the two-month campaign will support the government's Thailand 4.0 scheme, which aims to push innovation in domestic tourism, making the tourism industry stronger.
TAT expects to have 47,000 foreign tourists visit Thailand during the Songkran festival (April 13-17), up 10% from the same period last year, and generate 8 billion baht revenue, up 17%. About 2.47 million Thai tourists will travel during the long holidays, rising 9.6% year-on-year and generating 8.5 billion baht in tourism revenue, up 12.5%.
TAT will organise Amazing Songkran 2017 at Bangkok's Benjasiri Park on April 8 to usher in the holiday, while major provinces will have their own celebrations. In Bangkok, five kilometres of Sukhumvit Road will be closed for a parade.