Sky lantern festival poised for visitor surge

The sky lantern festival in Chiang Mai at the end of this month is expected to attract 20% more visitors than last year, generating 2-2.5 billion baht in revenue, as more operators have submitted proposals to organise events this year to meet growing tourist demand, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Keng Chaivarin, director of TAT's Chiang Mai office, said the traditional Lanna event consistently attracts more travellers annually, prompting new operators to apply for organising licences from the province to capitalise on growing demand from both domestic and international markets.

He said the average occupancy rate during the event on Nov 24 is approaching 95%, while the number of tourists attending the event is expected to reach 190,000 to 200,000, generating 2-2.5 billion baht in revenue, up 20% year-on-year.

Last year, 3-4 private operators served as the main organisers of sky lantern festivals, said Mr Keng. This year the number of applications has doubled, with the licence application deadline ending tomorrow.

While the well-known festivals organised by some operators were fully booked, a number of new events still have capacity to accommodate tourists.

This year, the provincial authorities are also taking part by illuminating the city centre to celebrate the festival.

Tourists join Chiang Mai-CAD Eco Friendly Khomloy Sky Lanterns Festival.

For this year's festival, he said around 60% of visitors are expected to be domestic tourists, particularly from the northern region, as many prefer short-haul trips within the region rather than taking cross-regional trips to save costs during the sluggish economy.

The remaining 40% are expected to come mainly from short-haul foreign markets with direct flights to Chiang Mai, such as China, Taiwan and Japan.

Average spending per visitor is forecast to increase by 10%, while sky lantern festival ticket prices range from 1,900 to 15,000 baht, depending on the add-on services.

During the festival, 108 flights will be cancelled to clear the airspace for sky lantern releases, while a further 105 flights will be added to the schedule to accommodate growing demand.

To mitigate environmental impacts, Mr Keng said all organisers are required to implement measures to manage sky lantern debris, following practices already adopted by existing operators, such as purchasing collected lantern waste from residents and volunteers after the event.

The province expects the event to drive tourism revenue in the final quarter, helping push annual visitor numbers to 11-12 million, in line with last year's total, he noted.

As of September, the number of tourists to Chiang Mai in 2026 tallied 8.6 million. If no negative factors emerge over the final two months, the TAT projects tourism revenue in Chiang Mai will grow by 2-3% year-on-year, based on current inbound flight growth of 2%.

However, the surge in hotel bookings during the sky lantern festival is likely to be concentrated in areas close to the event venues, rather than benefiting all accommodation across 25 districts, said Mr Keng.

For November, the average hotel occupancy rate is expected to reach 60-70%, while monthly arrivals during the final quarter are projected to average around 900,000 to 1 million visitors.