PHAYAO, Thailand – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, through the Tourism Authority of Thailand, has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to host the “Amazing Thailand Phayao Countdown Flora Fest 2026,” promoting Phayao province as an emerging destination to boost domestic travel. The recent opening ceremony was attended by senior officials from several ministries, provincial leaders, and private-sector representatives.
The festival is being held from December 28 to 31 at the King Ngam Muang Monument plaza and in the Kwan Phayao (Phayao Lake) area. Events include decorative lighting displays, floral exhibitions, and a large-scale drone show titled “Phayao Blooms—The Festival Begins,” welcoming the New Year while honoring Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother.
TAT said the event supports the national “Year of Celebration” concept by encouraging travel beyond major urban centers and introducing visitors to secondary destinations. Phayao was chosen to showcase how local culture, natural scenery, and creative presentation can attract diverse groups of travelers.
The festival also serves as a city-branding platform to extend travel routes into smaller provinces and spread tourism spending to local communities. Activities were planned to appeal to niche travel segments, including nature- and activity-based tourism, food tourism, sports travel, and spiritual journeys, with the model expected to be applied in other provinces.
TAT expects its nationwide promotional efforts in 2025 to drive strong domestic travel, with more than 205 million trips projected and an estimated 1.17 trillion baht in tourism revenue nationwide. (NNT)
