Thai Hotels Association

  • Tourism NewsThailand bad weather: Chinese tourist influx expected to fall short

    Thailand bad weather: Chinese tourist influx expected to fall short

    The anticipated influx of Chinese tourists to Thailand during the Chinese National Day holiday is expected to fall short due to adverse weather conditions and evolving travel behaviours, as shared by Sanphet Supabornsatien, an advisor to the Eastern Thai Hotels Association (THA). Thai hotel operators had been hopeful for a significant number of Chinese visitors from October 1 to 7.…

  • Thailand NewsThai hotels back new co-payment scheme amid fraud cases

    Thai hotels back new co-payment scheme amid fraud cases

    Hotel operators in Thailand have embraced a proposal to revive the co-payment scheme for hotel expenses, viewing it as a potential boost for domestic spending. However, concerns have been raised regarding 1,400 unresolved fraud cases from the scheme’s previous phases. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong discussed the matter with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who agreed in principle to reintroduce…

  • Thailand NewsTourism triumph: Can Thailand hit the 2.3 trillion baht jackpot?

    Tourism triumph: Can Thailand hit the 2.3 trillion baht jackpot?

    Despite a whirlwind of global economic challenges and shrinking wallets worldwide, Thailand’s tourism sector is making a remarkable comeback. The nation is on the brink of welcoming nearly as many visitors as it did in the golden year of 2019, when almost 40 million foreign tourists poured in, generating a staggering 2 trillion baht in international revenue. However, while the…

  • Tourism NewsTax breaks fall flat: Hoteliers sceptical of Thailand govt incentives

    Tax breaks fall flat: Hoteliers sceptical of Thailand govt incentives

    The hospitality industry in Thailand is abuzz as the government unveils a new policy aimed at boosting tourism in secondary provinces through tax benefits for hoteliers. But the response from hotel entrepreneurs has been lukewarm at best. According to the latest hospitality operators’ confidence index, a survey conducted by the Thai Hotels Association (THA) and the Bank of Thailand, 50%…

  • Thailand NewsDip in Pattaya hotel occupancy despite Songkran festivities

    Dip in Pattaya hotel occupancy despite Songkran festivities

    Pattaya’s hotels and those in neighbouring provinces have seen a dip in occupancy rates during the Wan Lai Songkran festival. This downturn has prompted hoteliers to critique the promotional strategy for the extended 21-day Songkran celebration. Morrakot Kuldilok, head of the eastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), projected that the occupancy rate in Pattaya would touch 70% over…

  • Thailand NewsSurging Pattaya hotel occupancy shows post-pandemic recovery

    Surging Pattaya hotel occupancy shows post-pandemic recovery

    Pattaya is experiencing a remarkable resurgence, with hotels bursting at the seams, boasting over 90% room occupancy. Sanphet Supabawornsathien, Eastern Thai Hotel Association President, reveals that Pattaya’s hotel industry is booming, with room occupancy rates soaring above 90% as tourists from China, Russia, and India flood the city alongside a surge in domestic travel. This remarkable trend is fuelled by…

  • Thailand NewsThai hotels hit hard as property tax breaks end

    Thai hotels hit hard as property tax breaks end

    Thai hotels are facing an uphill battle this year as the government pulls the plug on property tax reductions and energy prices soar, sending operating costs skyrocketing by 10%. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the President of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), reveals the dire consequences for hotel owners who enjoyed a 90% tax discount in 2020-21, only to see it evaporate…

  • Business NewsThailand and China’s visa-free policy not boosting tourism yet

    Thailand and China’s visa-free policy not boosting tourism yet

    Despite the recent permanent visa-free policy between Thailand and China, airlines and hotels are not anticipating an immediate rise in demand. This is largely due to the gradual increase in demand and the seating capacity that is yet to fully recover. The agreement was reached during China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s four-day official visit to Thailand, where he met with…

  • World NewsIndian tourists cancel Thailand trips after govt impose Covid test

    Indian tourists cancel Thailand trips after govt impose Covid test

    The Thai Hotels Association last night reported that tourists from India are cancelling trips to Thailand in their droves after their government insisted that returning travellers produce a negative Covid-19 test before reentering the country. The new mandate has come as a shock to Indian holidaymakers as the rest of the world contemplates what to do with returning Chinese tourists.…

  • Tourism NewsChinese tourists may bring growing pains to the Thai travel industry

    Chinese tourists may bring growing pains to the Thai travel industry

    While people in the tourism and entertainment sector are celebrating China’s announcement to reopen and allow outgoing travel, others have raised fears about the potential problems that could come with an influx of Chinese tourists. Some fear an overwhelming surge of Chinese tourists flooding Thailand’s hotspots. Others worry that the healthcare systems in Thailand could be overburdened by the influx…

  • Tourism NewsPhuket hotels see labour shortages as tourism swells

    Phuket hotels see labour shortages as tourism swells

    Maybe hoteliers didn’t believe in the government’s rosy tourism predictions. Hotels in Phuket are reporting a labour shortage as Russian tourists pour into the holiday island. Now they are rallying the government to market hospitality jobs in Phuket to attract foreign workers. They say Thai people just don’t want maintenance, kitchen, and food and beverage jobs. The president of the…

  • Tourism NewsProposal would allow small hotels to operate as a homestay

    Proposal would allow small hotels to operate as a homestay

    The Ministry of Interior’s proposal for relaxing regulations on small homestay hotels has been met with opposition from the Thai Hotels Association. The plan would expand a “homestay” exemption in the Hotel Act for small businesses with no more than 20 guests in no more than four rooms, increasing the maximum size and occupancy to 10 rooms and 30 guests.…

  • Tourism NewsTourism operators not getting their hopes up, still wary of government U-turns

    Tourism operators not getting their hopes up, still wary of government U-turns

    Despite a further easing of entry restrictions at the start of the month, with the lifting of PCR testing on arrival, Thailand’s tourism sector is not getting its hopes up. According to a Bangkok Post report, tourism operators are concerned about several factors that have left them uncertain about any potential recovery. Chief among these is the risk of new…

  • Tourism NewsHoteliers less than enthusiastic about government’s tourism stimulus scheme

    Hoteliers less than enthusiastic about government’s tourism stimulus scheme

    Hotel operators have given a mixed response to a Tourism Authority of Thailand proposal for the new phase of the domestic tourism stimulus campaign. The TAT have suggested that hotels could offer a 50% discount on an extra 1 million room nights, in addition to the government’s offering under the “We Travel Together” scheme. According to a Bangkok Post report,…

  • Tourism NewsHotels urge government to reconsider collection of land tax as they fight to survive

    Hotels urge government to reconsider collection of land tax as they fight to survive

    The Thai Hotels Association is petitioning the government to reconsider collecting the full rate of land and building tax this year. THA president Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says imposing the levy will have a serious impact on businesses fighting for survival. “The government should carefully look at the context, as hotel revenue remains much lower than the value of properties, especially…

  • Tourism NewsThailand’s tourism operators despair at another lost Songkran

    Thailand’s tourism operators despair at another lost Songkran

    Following the CCSA’s decision to ban water throwing during this year’s Songkran celebrations, tourism operators have been left despairing – for the third year in a row. Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, questions how the government can ban water splashing events on one hand, while, on the other hand, say Covid-19 will be endemic by…

  • Tourism NewsTourism revenue hits record low across all 77 provinces in Thailand

    Tourism revenue hits record low across all 77 provinces in Thailand

    Tourism revenue has plummeted across each of the 77 provinces, according to data from Thailand’s tourism ministry. The Bangkok Post reports that income from both foreign and local tourism reached an historic low in 2021, dropping by nearly 70%. Meanwhile, the revenue gap between Bangkok and other major provinces remains wide. In 2021, Bangkok posted the highest revenue at 62.7…

  • Tourism NewsHotels call for Covid-19 land and building tax cuts to be extended

    Hotels call for Covid-19 land and building tax cuts to be extended

    The hotel industry is asking the government to extend a land and building tax cut that was enacted in June of 2020, citing the continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic with no economic recovery in sight. They requested the 90% tax cut be extended for 2 more years, or, failing that, enact a new tax cut of 70 to 80% to…

  • Phuket NewsPhuket hotels to offer isolation rooms for asymptomatic guests who refuse hospital

    Phuket hotels to offer isolation rooms for asymptomatic guests who refuse hospital

    Phuket hoteliers have come up with a solution for asymptomatic guests who test positive for the Omicron variant but refuse to be transferred to hospital. Kongsak Khoopongsakorn from the Thai Hotels Association says in order to keep Phuket’s re-opening going, tourists who test positive but have no symptoms should be offered isolation facilities at their hotel instead of having to…

  • Tourism NewsRecovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years

    Recovery of Thailand’s international tourism sector likely to take years

    International tourism demand for Thailand is still low, according to a Bangkok Post report, with a full recovery predicted to take years. Just 133,061 foreign arrivals touched down in Thailand between November 1 and 30, well below the 3 million visitors a month of pre-pandemic times. However, despite low visitor numbers to his province, Pongsakorn Ketprapakorn from the Tourism Council…

  • Phuket NewsSenior hotels association member says NYE stars will boost Phuket tourism

    Senior hotels association member says NYE stars will boost Phuket tourism

    The president of the Thai Hotels Association’s southern chapter is backing the government’s decision to spend millions of baht on Phuket’s end-of-year festivities. Officials have confirmed that K-Pop star Lalisa “Lisa” Manoban and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli will perform in Phuket on New Year’s Eve. Critics have derided the plan due to the cost involved, with many suggesting the money…

  • Tourism NewsAlcohol ban predicted to damage Thailand’s reopening, reputation

    Alcohol ban predicted to damage Thailand’s reopening, reputation

    With Thailand’s November 1 reopening fast approaching, Thai businesses are calling on the government to quickly lift all the restrictions on alcohol sales in the country. They advise that the nightlife that millions flocked to Thailand for before the Covid-19 pandemic, is being destroyed by the long-term closures. Furthermore, they warn that reopening without any nightlife will discourage people from…

  • Tourism NewsTourism sector not getting its hopes up over domestic travel

    Tourism sector not getting its hopes up over domestic travel

    Those working in Thailand’s tourism sector aren’t getting their hopes up about a big boost to domestic travel any time soon. Wutthiphum Jurangkool, chief executive at Nok Air, says ongoing concerns about Covid-19, coupled with weak purchasing power, will make this November very different to last. “Domestic tourism reached its peak last November, thanks to low infection rates and the…

  • Hua Hin NewsHua Hin reopening could hurt bigger domestic tourism market

    Hua Hin reopening could hurt bigger domestic tourism market

    With Covid-19 restrictions being eased a bit and allowing for some domestic movement, Hua Hin has seen an influx of Thai domestic travellers coming for a much-needed holiday. The seaside town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province is seeing a boom but the Vice President of the Thai Hotels Association is advising that the planned reopening for foreigners may do more…

  • Thailand NewsThai Hotels Association urges attention for domestic tourism

    Thai Hotels Association urges attention for domestic tourism

    Doubting PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s pledge to reopen Thailand fully to international tourists by mid-October, the Thai Hotels Association is calling on the government to focus on plans to boost domestic tourism. The association says that the Thai government is laser-focused on international tourism and on achieving the reopening goal, but a backup plan is needed to encourage domestic tourism if…

  • Tourism NewsHotels hope for increase in foreign tourists to offset slump in domestic demand

    Hotels hope for increase in foreign tourists to offset slump in domestic demand

    Hotels in Thailand’s normally busy tourist hotspots are hoping that a further re-opening to foreign travellers will offset the drop in domestic demand. The Bangkok Post reports that travel curbs have decimated domestic tourism in places like Phuket, Krabi, and Phang Nga. Kongsak Khoopongsakorn from the Thai Hotels Association says the Phuket sandbox scheme welcomed around 10,000 tourists in its…

  • Koh Samui NewsKoh Samui opens for bookings from vaccinated foreign tourists

    Koh Samui opens for bookings from vaccinated foreign tourists

    Koh Samui’s sealed route programme, Samui Plus, has opened for business, with vaccinated tourists now able to apply for a certificate of entry. Ratchaporn Poolsawadee from the Tourism Association of Koh Samui says some details need to be ironed out, including determing the cost of a 7-day stay at an alternative state quarantine facility, to include Covid-19 tests and medical…

  • Tourism NewsHotel association survey shows average occupancy at around 6%

    Hotel association survey shows average occupancy at around 6%

    A survey carried out by the Thai Hotels Association shows that average occupancy for June is not expected to increase from the 6% seen in May. In a further blow to the hotel industry, TTR Weekly reports that occupancy in alternative state quarantine facilities is predicted to fall to 10%, down from 13% last month. THA president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi,…

  • Tourism NewsThai hotels call for extension to domestic travel stimulus packages

    Thai hotels call for extension to domestic travel stimulus packages

    The Thai Hotels Association is urging the government to extend the domestic travel stimulus schemes, set to end on September 30. THA president, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, says the stimulus packages, “We Travel Together”, which subsidises flights and hotel accommodation, and the Tour Teaw Thai co-payment scheme, must be continued until the current Covid-19 crisis is under control. She points out…

  • Covid-19 NewsThai hotels consider temporary shutdown amid low tourist demand

    Thai hotels consider temporary shutdown amid low tourist demand

    The president of the Thai Hotels Association says many properties are considering shutting down for the low season as a result of the Covid-19 resurgence. Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says smaller hotels that don’t necessarily have the resources of the large chain properties are struggling with cash flow and crippled by low tourist demand. Many are considering shutting up shop between…