Chiang Mai tourism expects rebound despite hotel booking slump

Chiang Mai, once bustling with tourists, has been grappling with a slump in hotel bookings as recorded on Wednesday.

The Northern Thai Hotels Association advisor, La-iad Bungsrithong, disclosed that the reservations were only 30% full compared to the beginning of April last year.

However, she projected a silver lining in the looming clouds of despair. The occupancy would bounce back to 70% during the Songkran Festival.

The festival, scheduled from April 13 to 15 in Chiang Mai, is anticipated to attract a horde of tourists. Some areas have been earmarked to kick off the water play festivities from April 1.

Chiang Mai, typically a preferred destination for those yearning for a cool winter retreat, has been dealing with another setback: air pollution. La-iad voiced her hopes of a resurge in the number of tourists by April, provided the PM2.5 issues are resolved.

“Chiang Mai is currently facing air pollution at a concerning level.”

However, this is not just an issue for Chiang Mai. The northern region of Thailand is also struggling with the same crisis. The air pollution problem dealt a blow to the tourism industry in March, causing the hotel occupancy rate to plummet to 50% from the expected rate of 60%, according to La-iad.

La-iad stressed the need for a robust plan from the Thai government to address the air pollution issues. While this might not directly impact local businesses, the contaminated air, rich in PM2.5, poses significant health risks.

“The PM2.5 problem needs a national agenda to fix that requires comprehensive and concrete plans from the government.”

In addition to tackling the air pollution problem, La-iad suggested that Chiang Mai could benefit economically and tourism-wise with an entertainment complex. This complex could potentially replace the unchecked underground gambling dens. However, she cautioned that strict legal measures and regulations should be in place to prevent any societal issues that could arise from the casinos, reported Pattaya News.

“However, strict legal action and regulations must be thoroughly considered so the casinos would not cause any societal problems.”