Iconsiam Co, the operator of Iconsiam mall, is preparing to lift tourism spending and visitor numbers, allocating 65 million baht for a Songkran celebration next month.
Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, managing director of Iconsiam, said the number of Chinese visitors at the mall has not fully recovered, though more tourists are visiting from other markets such as Europe and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.
He said the company welcomed the tourism and sports minister’s plan to restore the Chinese market by inviting Chinese media influencers to promote Thailand.
Mr Supoj said while the global economic slowdown had affected foreign visitor spending, Iconsiam still aims to increase tourist expenditure by hosting several events, including the upcoming Songkran celebration. The Songkran event has been upgraded to the same level as the New Year countdown.
The company invested 65 million baht in the “Iconsiam Thaiconic Songkran Celebration 2025” event during April 10-16, in collaboration with partners including the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
The mall expects to attract more than 1.4 million visitors during the event, with half foreigners.
Iconsiam anticipates 40% higher spending for the celebration than during regular periods.
Highlights of the event include a nine-metre water tower, a children’s zone, a giant sand pagoda and Thai cultural performances, as well as a mini-concert featuring more than 300 artists.
Mr Supoj said the mall is being renovated, with new luxury shops and restaurants being prepared to attract new visitors. The process is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year.
Eurblarp Sriphiromya, executive director of the tourism products department at TAT, said with Songkran included on Unesco’s list of intangible cultural heritage, the agency is now promoting this event nationwide.
Ms Eurblarp said during the festival, the agency predicts more than 4 million domestic trips and 400,000 foreign tourist arrivals.
She said five TAT offices in China are promoting Songkran, working to restore travel confidence in that market after safety concerns.
