bookings

  • Thailand NewsThai victims lose over 100 million baht to ‘blue elephant’ flight booking scam

    Thai victims lose over 100 million baht to ‘blue elephant’ flight booking scam

    Nearly 100 victims collectively lost over 100 million baht to a flight booking platform featuring a blue elephant logo. The victims neither received their tickets nor were refunded their money. Ten representatives of the victims visited the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday, December 2, after their complaints were ignored for a prolonged period despite the substantial financial losses. They gathered a…

  • Tourism NewsIndian guests find a ‘Thai’-light in Airbnb bookings surge

    Indian guests find a ‘Thai’-light in Airbnb bookings surge

    New data from Airbnb reveals a significant rise in bookings by Indian guests in Thailand between 2022 and 2023. The statistics show an impressive increase of over 60% year-on-year, with notable peaks during the recent long holiday weekends. During these periods, searches by Indian guests for stays in Thailand surged by more than 200%. According to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism…

  • Thailand NewsThailand set to break records with 2 million bookings predicted, Klook reveals

    Thailand set to break records with 2 million bookings predicted, Klook reveals

    Thailand’s tourism industry is gearing up for a surge, with online travel platform Klook forecasting a staggering two million bookings for holiday packages in the Southeast Asian country this year. Klook’s COO Eric Gnock Fah revealed that Thailand’s tourism sector is bouncing back ferociously, rivalling Japan’s impressive rebound on the platform, and outshining other Asian destinations. “Last year’s record-breaking achievement…

  • Business NewsThai hotels see surge in bookings as government agencies rush to spend budget

    Thai hotels see surge in bookings as government agencies rush to spend budget

    Thai hotels are seeing a bookings surge as government agencies rush to exhaust their fiscal 2023 budget ahead of the September cut-off. This comes following a period of stagnation in the booking of meetings due to the country’s political uncertainty. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) president, reported a 10-20% increase in both government and private sector meetings…

  • Business NewsThailand tourism eyed by Agoda CEO as business hotspot rivaling Japan, Vietnam

    Thailand tourism eyed by Agoda CEO as business hotspot rivaling Japan, Vietnam

    Agoda, the online travel agency, foresees a bright future for Thailand tourism as the country emerges as a preferred destination for business travellers, potentially rivalling top hotspots like Japan and Vietnam. Ranked second in Agoda’s largest inbound markets between January and May, Thailand’s tourism trails behind Japan in terms of overall popularity. Agoda’s Chief Executive, Omri Morgenshtern, believes Thailand’s potential…

  • Business NewsThailand tourism thrives with 1,200% surge in Klook bookings

    Thailand tourism thrives with 1,200% surge in Klook bookings

    Online travel platforms continue to express optimism about Thailand’s tourism growth this year, propelled by a substantial increase in visitor arrivals. Wilfred Fan, Chief Commercial Officer at Klook, an online travel platform, stated that the company experienced a 1,200% increase in bookings for activities in Thailand year on year in the first five months of 2023. The top five markets…

  • Phuket NewsTAT re-confirms Phuket’s reopening date of July 1 | Thaiger

    TAT re-confirms Phuket’s reopening date of July 1

    The Thai PM, and the CCSA, have confirmed that Phuket’s re-opening WILL happen on July 1. This confirms months of insistence that the plan will go ahead. The confirmation comes against a background of daily new infections in the country of over 2,000 and ongoing confusion about the country’s vaccine roll out. Saturday’s Thailand Covid report HERE. According to the…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket’s July Sandbox no-quarantine model “needs a major revamp”

    Phuket’s July Sandbox no-quarantine model “needs a major revamp”

    Thailand’s Sports and Tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn is acknowledging that Phuket’s ‘Sandbox’ model for a no-quarantine re-opening in July will need “a major revamp”. As the Songkran travel bubble bursts and the monsoon season waves start to roll onto the island’s west coast beaches, Phuket’s scheduled July re-boot suddenly seems a long way off. Minister Phiphat says he plans to meet…

  • Visa InformationThailand will remain closed to general tourism until at least the 2nd quarter of 2021 – Minister

    Thailand will remain closed to general tourism until at least the 2nd quarter of 2021 – Minister

    Kiss any resemblance of general tourism to Thailand goodbye, at least until march next year, at the earliest. That’s the outlook for Thailand’s beleaguered tourism industry from the usually optimistic Minster for Sports and Tourism, Pipat Ratchakitprakan. So, apart from the STV and the modified 60 day Tourist Visa, and a few other options – all involving quarantine and a…

  • Tourism NewsTravelling domestically in Thailand brings Covid-style hotel accommodations

    Travelling domestically in Thailand brings Covid-style hotel accommodations

    As Thailand remains closed to international tourists with travel bubbles being postponed indefinitely, the country has shifted to relying on domestic tourism to close some of the gaps in profit losses. As it heavily relies on tourism, which accounts for around 15% of its GDP, hotels are adapting to welcoming domestic tourists by offering Covid-conscious accommodations. But as the popular…

  • Economy NewsHotel bookings bounce back for long weekend holiday

    Hotel bookings bounce back for long weekend holiday

    The long holiday weekend is reportedly seeing heavy bookings at hotels and resorts, reigniting hopes of a revival of domestic tourism, which has been battered for months by the Covid-19 outbreak. Accommodations in the southern provinces in particular have been receiving a good rate of bookings with holidaymakers for the 4 day extended weekend. The tourism authoritiy of Thailand says…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket’s hotels can now open. Someone forgot to tell the hotels.

    Phuket’s hotels can now open. Someone forgot to tell the hotels.

    Phuket is open. Sort of. And the hotels on the island are officially allowed to re-open but few are flinging open their doors anytime soon to welcome the hordes of tourists lining up to book a room. The holiday island is in a Catch 22 situation with the hotels waiting for the guests to return and potential visitors waiting until…

  • Covid-19 NewsWorld travel suffers as coronavirus outbreak drags on

    World travel suffers as coronavirus outbreak drags on

    The Public Health Ministry is asking Thais planning trips to Japan and Singapore to reschedule their visits, saying that travellers need to be aware of the rising number of people infected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) in those two countries. Dr Sukhum Kanchanapima, the permanent secretary at the Thai Public Health Ministry, says the coronavirus outbreak had reached the third stage…

  • OpinionThe knock-on effect. Coronavirus hits Phuket hotels.

    The knock-on effect. Coronavirus hits Phuket hotels.

    The Thaiger’s occasional Phuket hotel management contributor is back with some inside knowledge of the current situation for hoteliers on the holiday island. That the coronavirus situation is affecting hotel bookings, is an understatement, he says. Here’s some of the current thinking as Phuket hoteliers stand around the water-cooler and mull the situation. Our writer has asked to remain anonymous……

  • Tourism NewsPhuket’s high season delayed until after Christmas

    Phuket’s high season delayed until after Christmas

    PHOTO: The Hotel Specialist “Diversifying Phuket’s market to rely less on Chinese tourists is key to improving tourism in the province.” It will be a quiet Christmas in Phuket as the island’s high season will come late for hotels this year, with most reservations are for after the Christmas celebration. Tourism in Phuket usually increases in November, but this year’s November…

  • Bangkok NewsMore tickets go on sale today for the Bangkok theatre performances of The Lion King

    More tickets go on sale today for the Bangkok theatre performances of The Lion King

    Due to high demand, the Bangkok theatre season of The Lion King live at Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre has been extended. Bookings are open for the extended season today. The Lion King is on its way to Thailand for the first time for an exclusive season of performances starting September 14 and will now run until October 27. For more details about…

  • Tourism NewsIs Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?

    Is Airbnb taking over the Thai hotel industry?

    Airbnb is posing a less significant threat to hotels in Thailand than expected, but its influence in the longer term should not be underestimated, according to real estate company JLL Offering new alternatives to travellers, Airbnb is certainly taking some of the wind out of the sails of the traditional hotel accommodation model. However, findings from Jone Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows…

  • Tourism NewsWhere are Thai’s heading for this summer holidays?

    Where are Thai’s heading for this summer holidays?

    Thai travellers who are booking through Airbnb are discovering new ‘off the beaten track’ destinations. Globally, Airbnb identifies some of the top trending destinations based on percentage growth in bookings during the same time last year *. And when we say growth, we mean mega growth! The top choices are: • Valenciennes, France (704%) • Changsha, China (695%) • Matsudo, Japan…

  • Tourism NewsChinese travellers heading to more non-Asian countries for holidays

    Chinese travellers heading to more non-Asian countries for holidays

    More Chinese are now travelling further and taking in non-Asian destinations during this week’s Labour Day holidays, according to Hotelbeds, a leading hotel booking website. Monitoring holiday bookings made by Chinese, Hotelbeds said 10 to the top 30 destinations were outside of Asia compared with just three destinations a year earlier. The three day Labour Day holidays, starting on May…

  • Hua Hin NewsHua Hin “full for New Year”

    Hua Hin “full for New Year”

    Talk News is reporting that a local tourism adviser was expecting 100% occupancy in Hua Hin and Cha-Am hotels at New Year. Though it was not just foreigners but many Thais who were visiting in droves this festive season. Runrot Sileuangsawat was quoted as saying that, at the moment, occupancy rates were an average of 80% in the two seaside…