Bill Barnett

Bill Barnett has over 30 years of experience in the Asian hospitality and property markets. He is considered to be a leading authority on real estate trends across Asia, and has sat at almost every seat around the hospitality and real estate table. Bill promotes industry insight through regular conference speaking engagements and is continually gathering market intelligence. Over the past few years he has released four books on Asian property topics.
  • Thailand HotelsPHIST 2025 draws 1,300 delegates as Phuket Governor and Minor Chairman call For community-led sustainability | Thaiger

    PHIST 2025 draws 1,300 delegates as Phuket Governor and Minor Chairman call For community-led sustainability

    Asia’s biggest sustainability event for tourism, PHIST 2025, broke records today with over 1,300 delegates from across the region as government and business leaders warned the hospitality industry to act fast on integrating community-driven sustainability into travel and tourism experiences to appeal to a new generation of visitors. Hotels and tourism operators need to engage with local communities to enrich…

  • Property NewsPhuket enters a new real estate cycle as resale market gains traction | Thaiger

    Phuket enters a new real estate cycle as resale market gains traction

    Phuket’s property market is quietly evolving. After a wave of new project launches in 2023 and 2024 that reignited interest in the island, a new storyline is emerging as buyers are increasingly considering resale homes as a meaningful alternative to off-plan developments. Data from Thailand’s largest real estate portal, FazWaz.com, highlights how the secondary market is no longer on the…

  • Property NewsKoh Samui’s property pivot: Luxury living, rising condos, and smart investments | Thaiger

    Koh Samui’s property pivot: Luxury living, rising condos, and smart investments

    Koh Samui is undergoing a quiet revolution in its residential property market. While the headlines often focus on Thailand’s better-known destinations, this island in the Gulf of Thailand is steadily drawing the attention of lifestyle buyers and investors—especially those eyeing luxury villas at competitive prices. With the total value of Samui’s real estate market for sale currently reaching approximately 30.3…

  • EventsRISE 2025 to empower women in hospitality with full-day learning event in Phuket | Thaiger

    RISE 2025 to empower women in hospitality with full-day learning event in Phuket

    A powerful new initiative to elevate and empower women in hospitality is set to launch in Phuket this August. RISE 2025 – Reshaping Hospitality by Empowering Women is a full-day learning experience focused on career growth, skill-building, and inclusive leadership. The event is co-organised by C9 Hotelworks, Mrs B Group, and Delivering Asia. Created especially for professionals across the hospitality,…

  • Koh Samui TravelKoh Samui shines as Thailand challenged: Positive tourism performance drives island growth | Thaiger

    Koh Samui shines as Thailand challenged: Positive tourism performance drives island growth

    The Koh Samui hotel and tourism market is demonstrating solid growth through the first four months of 2025, supported by strong air and cruise arrivals, stable hotel performance metrics, and impressive European market engagement. From January to April of this year, Koh Samui International Airport recorded 1,127,832 passenger arrivals, representing a 9% increase over the same period in 2024. This…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s spiritual tourism surge: A new journey beyond the usual | Thaiger

    Thailand’s spiritual tourism surge: A new journey beyond the usual

    As global stress levels soar and wellness becomes the new luxury, travellers are seeking more than sandy beaches and nightlife. They are craving meaning, mindfulness, and a reconnection with themselves. Enter Thailand’s newest tourism trend: spiritual travel. According to a groundbreaking report titled Spiritual Travel Thailand: Exploring the Journey Beyond Destination 2025 recently released by C9 Hotelworks in collaboration with Guestasy,…

  • Phuket TravelBeing Thailand 2025 highlights Thailand’s evolving role as a global wellness economy leader | Thaiger

    Being Thailand 2025 highlights Thailand’s evolving role as a global wellness economy leader

    As the global wellness landscape continues to shift alongside changing consumer demands and travel behaviour, Thailand is increasingly recognised as a model of adaptive leadership in the wellness economy. And it was at the new industry strategic touchpoint, Being Thailand 2025 in Phuket, where the country’s role in shaping wellness-oriented tourism, hospitality, healthcare, and consumer markets, was assessed. Over the…

  • Property NewsKhao Lak and Phang Nga tourism sector gains momentum with infrastructure and hospitality investment | Thaiger

    Khao Lak and Phang Nga tourism sector gains momentum with infrastructure and hospitality investment

    phuket touriTourism in Khao Lak and the wider Phang Nga province is demonstrating robust post-pandemic growth, underpinned by rising international arrivals, increasing hotel performance metrics, and new project developments across the hospitality and infrastructure sectors. According to C9 Hotelworks’ Khao Lak and Phang Nga Hotel & Tourism Market Review 2025, Phang Nga recorded over 4.1 million guest arrivals last year,…

  • Property NewsPhuket property market in 2025: Evolving with demand and diversification | Thaiger

    Phuket property market in 2025: Evolving with demand and diversification

    Phuket’s real estate market is undergoing a significant transformation in 2025, marked by growing inventory, shifting buyer preferences, and intensifying competition. The latest Phuket Property Market Update by C9 Hotelworks reveals a dynamic landscape shaped by lifestyle migration, maturing development ecosystems, and rising price premiums, particularly in branded and well-located properties. Performance in early 2024 and emerging trends The first…

  • Phuket TravelPhuket’s new lifestyle communities: Embracing nature and wellness | Thaiger

    Phuket’s new lifestyle communities: Embracing nature and wellness

    Phuket is known for its beautiful landscapes and stunning beaches, making it a popular spot for tourists and people looking for tropical living. Recently, though, there’s been a shift in the type of communities in Phuket that is quickly gaining traction. More and more, people are looking for homes that are connected to nature, sustainable, and focused on wellness and…

  • EventsBEING Thailand 2025: An event for connection and collaboration in wellness | Thaiger

    BEING Thailand 2025: An event for connection and collaboration in wellness

    Thailand’s wellness industry will take centre-stage this May in Phuket with BEING Thailand 2025, a new B2B event designed to unite professionals across the wellness, hospitality, and tourism sectors. The inaugural gathering, expected to draw 400 industry leaders, aims to drive key conversations and innovation, bringing together a traditionally fragmented sector for an exchange of ideas and strategies. As travel…

  • PropertyKhao Lak’s new surf town and exciting developments | Thaiger

    Khao Lak’s new surf town and exciting developments

    The newly launched Matalay Integrated Resort Town is an ambitious 1,000-rai (400-acre) development project aimed at transforming Khao Lak in Phang Nga Province into a premier tourism destination. The name “Matalay,” meaning “come to the sea,” reflects the resort’s vision of creating a comprehensive town featuring luxury accommodations, recreational facilities, and entertainment options designed to attract both domestic and international…

  • Property NewsThailand’s new luxury lies in wellbeing, culinary tourism, and brands | Thaiger

    Thailand’s new luxury lies in wellbeing, culinary tourism, and brands

    For Thailand to seize the potential of luxury tourism and hospitality in 2025, the country needs to go deeper with high-equity branded residences, regenerative wellness and culinary tourism set to determine the destiny of the country becoming Asia’s luxury tourism hub. The importance of brands in Thailand is turning Bangkok into a global playground city while the shift in values…

  • Property NewsSome like it hot: Phuket property market in 2024 | Thaiger

    Some like it hot: Phuket property market in 2024

    As we stepped into 2025, it’s the perfect time to take a closer look at the hottest property trends in Thailand’s largest leisure destination—Phuket. One of the most notable developments is the increasing presence of major Thai-listed property groups on the island, following an oversupply of properties in Bangkok. At the same time, banks are tightening credit to domestic real…