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.
  • Tourism NewsPhuket hoteliers looking to winter wonderland to bolster the Sandbox | Thaiger

    Phuket hoteliers looking to winter wonderland to bolster the Sandbox

    by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com As the Phuket Sandbox program continues to be the international gateway for overseas travellers to Thailand, island hoteliers are looking at what the winter season could look like. Traditionally a legacy market, many visitors during this period are called ‘snowbirds’ and are from Northern and Eastern Europe. Snowbird travellers are long-stay visitors, with a key…

  • Business NewsWhat is so important about the Sandbox? | Thaiger

    What is so important about the Sandbox?

    OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Being on the ground in Phuket over the past sixteen months of the pandemic I have experienced the up’s and downs of pandemic tourism firsthand. Over the past month with the Sandbox program coming into place, we have seen over 13,000 travellers arrive at the Phuket International Airport. “What is so important about the…

  • Business NewsInside story behind the Thailand property seachange | Thaiger

    Inside story behind the Thailand property seachange

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com For Thailand’s real estate market, Covid-19 has brought massive changes in lifestyle and ongoing pandemic fatigue is pushing many domestic buyers to shift property investment preferences in favour of resort or countryside destinations. Whether you call it Plan B, a sea change or an escape plan, one thing for certain is that change is in the…

  • Tourism NewsKoh Samui’s tourism hopes pinned on international travellers | Thaiger

    Koh Samui’s tourism hopes pinned on international travellers

    by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com It’s baby steps at the moment as Thailand’s Robinson Crusoe-inspired, island-focused, international travel reopening plan rolls out in Koh Samui from July 15. Unlike the Phuket Sandbox program for vaccinated travellers, the Samui Plus sealed-route will test the water with a hybrid approach of 3 days in a hotel quarantine scenario and then allows visitor’s island-wide free…

  • Krabi NewsKrabi tourism playing the sandbox waiting game | Thaiger

    Krabi tourism playing the sandbox waiting game

    Press Release Over one million passengers went through Krabi Airport in 2020, despite the pandemic. One of Thailand’s most idyllic and naturally blessed resort destinations, Krabi, is quietly waiting in the wings to follow Phuket into the tourism sandbox. As the Thai resort island set’s its sights on the first of July reopening to international travelers, its Andaman neighbor is…

  • Phuket NewsCan Phuket survive? Interview with Bill Barnett | VIDEO | Thaiger

    Can Phuket survive? Interview with Bill Barnett | VIDEO

    Interview with Bill Barnett from c9Hotelworks. Phuket has now been hit with a 3rd major crisis, each one more profound than the long-term effects from the 2004 tsunami. Now the island has new restrictions imposed on arrivals on the southern island, imposed by the Phuket Provincial Authority.

  • OpinionLike a rolling stone (2 decades and counting). My home, Phuket. | Thaiger

    Like a rolling stone (2 decades and counting). My home, Phuket.

    by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Driving down a seemingly endless winding road on the warm tropical island of Phuket, I glance up and see a sign indicating a left turn, shouting out in big bold letters ‘Welcome to Days of Future Past.’ Reading between the lines, let me state that we have landed headfirst like crash test dummies into the…

  • Tourism NewsThe case for temporarily closing hotel and restaurant operations | Thaiger

    The case for temporarily closing hotel and restaurant operations

    OPINION by Bill Barnett As the final days of disruptive 2020 come screeching to an erratic end, hotel, and restaurant owners are peering into an unpredictable year ahead. Here in Thailand over the past week, the tourism industry has been shaken to its core over an uptick in Covid-19 cases and backroom speculation over fears of another round of lockdowns. (Restrictions,…

  • Phuket NewsHow Thailand’s domestic tourism market fell in love with Khao Lak during a pandemic | Thaiger

    How Thailand’s domestic tourism market fell in love with Khao Lak during a pandemic

    While Thailand’s doors remain mostly shut to international tourists, Thailand’s domestic travel wanderlust has turned Khao Lak into an Instagram hero. In the first 2 months of this year, according to research by consulting group C9 Hotelworks’ new Khao Lak Hotel Market Update occupancies soared above 80%. With the Covid-19 lockdowns, occupancy plunged in April and May, but as domestic…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket’s tourism high season hopes shattered in policy flip-flop | Thaiger

    Phuket’s tourism high season hopes shattered in policy flip-flop

    “The time has come that Thailand must gain confidence from international benchmarks.” Thailand’s leading resort island Phuket has come face-to-face with the reality that it’s tourism high-season will not see a marked reopening to overseas travellers. In the wake of the dismantling of the ‘Phuket Model’ and refocus by the government on using Bangkok as a single international gateway, there…

  • Tourism NewsAnswering the question, who will fight for Phuket’? | Thaiger

    Answering the question, who will fight for Phuket’?

    OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Thailand’s tourism industry is sadly at the short end of the stick as policies gyrate over the reopening of the country to international travellers, yet no single province has more to lose than the resort island of Phuket. Phuket’s economic engine is leveraged on tourism. It’s a place where on a combined basis, one…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket hotels fighting for their lives as domestic tourism fails to support the island | Thaiger

    Phuket hotels fighting for their lives as domestic tourism fails to support the island

    In the wake of last weekend’s ministerial talkfest and discussions with local industry players on the island, Bill Barnett paints a bleak picture of a tourist island in freefall. All the shops, restaurants and hotels can’t remain empty, or merely keep their doors open with a handful of domestic customers, forever. Phuket’s hotel industry is reaching breaking point and drastic economic support…

  • Economy NewsThailand’s property market set to experience brokerage megashift | Thaiger

    Thailand’s property market set to experience brokerage megashift

    by Bill Barnett It’s clear that Thailand’s real estate sector is expected to undergo a megashift as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and search for a ‘new normal’, if that’s even possible. That said, one of the country’s leading PropTech groups FazWaz says the crisis has only accelerated dynamic charges to the sector that have been bubbling to the…

  • Economy NewsPhuket’s economy is more than just tourism | Thaiger

    Phuket’s economy is more than just tourism

    by Bill Barnett While Phuket’s brand and economic reality is that nearly half of its contribution to GPP (gross provincial product) comes from tourism is true, it’s important to understand that there are other generators that will aid in the island’s post-crisis recovery. The island’s real estate sector, that currently has a market value of over 100 billion baht (according…

  • Tourism NewsThe China Bounce – are the Chinese packing their bags ready to come back to Thailand? | Thaiger

    The China Bounce – are the Chinese packing their bags ready to come back to Thailand?

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com The results of a comprehensive new survey of consumers in Mainland China’s first tier cities concludes that 53% of respondents would like to travel internationally sometime this year. Citing the opportunity, the most popular months for trips abroad for the remainder of the year are, specifically, August, October and December. Thailand is one of the…

  • Tourism NewsBack to business – time for Thailand’s tourist industry to get ready | Thaiger

    Back to business – time for Thailand’s tourist industry to get ready

    OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com Tourism is a vital part of Thailand’s economy. And as the country emerges into the post-Covid world, getting tourists back to the country will be an essential springboard to the rest of the Thai economy. None of that will be automatic or easy as international travel has been severely disrupted and will take months,…

  • Covid-19 NewsCurrency will be a key driver in Phuket’s (eventual) tourism recovery? | Thaiger

    Currency will be a key driver in Phuket’s (eventual) tourism recovery?

    OPINION by Bill Barnett from c9hotelworks.com In the lead-up to the Covid-19 crisis one constant complaint by Thailand’s hotel sector has been the strength of the Thai Baht. Zeroing in specifically on the Mainland Chinese market, the rapid demise to the island was in part triggered by the tragic boat accident in mid-2018, along with a number of other country-wide negative…

  • Business NewsHome alone. Phuket hotels hit a speed bump. | Thaiger

    Home alone. Phuket hotels hit a speed bump.

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com In the latest news, Singapore’s move to impose a stay-home policy or self-isolation for travellers within ASEAN, has hit the industry hard. Here in Phuket, hotels are winding down their traditional snowbird European business which for the most part was booked well in advance. Rates have somewhat held during this time. One key barometer of…

  • OpinionOPINION: Doomsday, the Black Swan and no fear | Thaiger

    OPINION: Doomsday, the Black Swan and no fear

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore” is how I am feeling on a Saturday afternoon. My senses are bruised and battered after a weeklong barrage of panic, blurring sensational bad news headlines and a mounting sense of fear amongst my fellow humans. What is clear in the grand scheme…

  • Tourism NewsThe Coronavirus effect – Phuket and hotel report | Thaiger

    The Coronavirus effect – Phuket and hotel report

    by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com “Perhaps the biggest wild card is the mounting number of travel advisories across the globe based on Covid-19” In what is a continuing storyline on the global coronavirus outbreak, Bill Barnett reports on the impact on Thailand’s most popular island destination, Phuket. He says that the impact on the Phuket tourism market is creating a challenging landscape.…

  • Tourism NewsThai tourism to take hit over Coronavirus | Thaiger

    Thai tourism to take hit over Coronavirus

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com A travel ban is now in effect in Mainland China for tour groups who were booked for holidays overseas. Over the past few days hoteliers in Phuket, Bangkok and throughout the country are reporting significant cancellations, not only of groups but also independent travellers (FITs). Last year Mainland Chinese travellers to Thailand nearly eclipsed 11 million,…

  • Phuket NewsLatest Khao Lak hotel report | Thaiger

    Latest Khao Lak hotel report

    by Bill Barnett, c9hotelworks.com Increasing hotel supply in Khao Lak with stable tourism growth reflects a destination market entering a new cycle. Khao Lak is a beachside destination an hour and a half drive north from Phuket Airport in Phang Nga province. The upcoming second Greater Phuket airport (in Phang Nga) is expected to push the destination to diversify offerings…

  • Business NewsThree massive condo developments along Phuket’s up-market Layan Beach | Thaiger

    Three massive condo developments along Phuket’s up-market Layan Beach

    by Bill Barnett – c9hotelworks.com Two new condo developments are going ahead in the Layan Beach area of Phuket’s up-market west-coast beach strip. And there’s another one underway next to the Dream Beach Club at the northern end of the Layan beach strip. All in all, another 1,200+ keys added to the available rooms along the Bang Tao/Layan Beach area.…

  • Tourism NewsCrunching the numbers on Phuket’s hotels – 2020 | Thaiger

    Crunching the numbers on Phuket’s hotels – 2020

    PHOTO: Travel 141 Bill Barnett from c9Hotelworks, crunches the numbers and reports on some challenges for Thailand’s largest island and most popular tourist destination, outside of Bangkok. Robust passenger arrivals in the second half of 2019 highlighted by growth in Indian tourists helped rebalance the island’s tourism sector, according to the C9 Hotelworks newly released Phuket Hotel Market Update (link…

  • Tourism NewsDirect Russian flights into Surat Thani start with uptick for Samui, Koh Tao & Ko-Phangan | Thaiger

    Direct Russian flights into Surat Thani start with uptick for Samui, Koh Tao & Ko-Phangan

    PHOTO: The Flight Reviews A new series of flights between Russia and Surat Thani International Airport kicked off on December 27 with the charter Nordwind Airlines. Russian tourists will be able to fly direct into the region, avoiding the monopoly at Koh Samui airport. They can then transfer to Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Ko-Phangan from the Surat Thani International Airport…

  • Tourism NewsMono airlift remains key barrier to Koh Samui’s tourism success | Thaiger

    Mono airlift remains key barrier to Koh Samui’s tourism success

    PHOTO: Koh Samui Sunset Bill Barnett and c9hotelworks.com analyse the current hotel and tourism challenges on Koh Samui. Bill says that in the past year the Gulf island has been shaken by declining demand and reduced airlift to the island. (graphics below) “The China slowdown is widely cited as a key factor, together with high airfares. According to Bangkok Airways, half of…

  • Tourism NewsTaiwan’s Eva Air adds direct flights to Phuket from next April | Thaiger

    Taiwan’s Eva Air adds direct flights to Phuket from next April

    by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com As the tourist demographic matures and evolves, so does the airline mix landing in Phuket. Now Phuket’s direct international airlift is set to increase again with non-stop flights from Taipei, Taiwan on Eva Air. The island’s airline traffic is already almost booked out for the next few months with Phuket International Airport officials asking airlines…

  • World NewsVietnam Airlines opening direct Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City flights | Thaiger

    Vietnam Airlines opening direct Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City flights

    by Bill Barnett c9hotelworks.com Vietnam Airlines will commence direct flights between Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Phuket on October 27. Flights will operate three days a week, on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. The airline is also launching direct Ho Chi Minh City to Denpasar (Bali) service. Vietjet Air, the popular new low-coast airline out of Vietnam, is currently servicing the increasingly…

  • Business NewsCentara signs up three more Phuket hotels | Thaiger

    Centara signs up three more Phuket hotels

    The surge of new properties continues in Phuket as the developers and Thai business leaders continue to show their confidence in Phuket as an international holiday destination. Thai hospitality group Centara Hotels and Resorts has entered into agreements to manage three hotels on Phuket’s northern west coast in Mai Khao. Two of the properties are currently operating, which are the…

  • PropertyWyndham adds two more hotels for Phuket’s south | Thaiger

    Wyndham adds two more hotels for Phuket’s south

    PHOTOS: Artists impressions of the new Wyndham Nai Harn Resort Phuket Global hotel group Wyndham has announced two more Phuket pipeline hotels. The announcement follows a long list of new developments and openings over the next few years on the island. First for Wyndham, is a 353 key property named the Wyndham Nai Harn Resort Phuket at the popular southern west-coast…