Footage shows a tourism festival in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday morning March 29.

The country is vying to attract 40 million holidaymakers this year - a big rise on the 23 million in 2023.

Central bank Assistant Governor Chayawadee Chai-Anant said the economy unexpectedly shrank 0.6 pe cent in the final quarter of 2023.

However, the economy this month will be helped by tourism, offseting a fall in exports.

The Thailand Tourism Festival 2024 is taking place from 10 AM to 9 PM until April 1 at Exhibition Hall one to four at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

The festival has nine zones highlighting creative cultural performances and culinary delights from various regions including central, eastern, northern, northeastern, and southern Thailand.

Additionally, there are four other zones - Amazing Thailand, Thai Tourism Alliances, the Main Stage, and Sustainable Tourism Goals.

During the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said: 'Tourism is front and centre of the government's policy in socio-economic development.

'We are harnessing the strength of the Thai soft power, our rich tourism resources, breathtaking landscapes, and the famed Thai hospitality to propel Thailand into becoming a tourism hub.

'The Thailand Tourism Festival perfectly aligns with our plan.'

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, added: 'TAT expects the Thailand Tourism Festival 2024 to attract 150,000 visitors.

'We hope the event will inspire year-round domestic travel and help to generate around 1.4-1.5 billion baht for the economy.'