Middle East war hits Phuket hotels, triggers booking cancellations
Phuket hoteliers say room cancellations have reached about 10% after airlines were disrupted by the fighting, though Ramadan has helped cushion the impact so far.
- The conflict in the Middle East has resulted in the cancellation of approximately 10% of all hotel bookings in Phuket due to disruptions affecting seven to eight airlines.
- The impact is currently softened because the conflict coincides with Ramadan, a period when fewer tourists from the Middle East typically travel.
- An ongoing concern is the potential disruption to European tourists who transit through Middle Eastern airports, which could further affect travel to Phuket if the situation continues.
- Tourist arrivals from other regions, such as Europe, Asia, and Russia, are helping to offset some of the booking cancellations from the Middle East.
Suksit Suvunditkul, President of the Thai Hotels Association (Southern Chapter), said on Monday (March 16) that around seven to eight airlines have been affected by the fighting in the Middle East, resulting in about 10% of all hotel bookings in Phuket being cancelled.
However, this is still not considered a very high figure, because one of the key factors helping to soften the impact is that this period falls during Ramadan, when tourists from the Middle East would normally be travelling less anyway.
At the same time, tourist markets from other regions, such as Europe, Asia and Russia, have been able to offset some of the decline.
However, the issue that needs close monitoring is that some European tourists transit through airports in the Middle East.
If the situation drags on, it could affect flight routes and travel to Phuket.
Hotel operators in Phuket also said that some tourists affected by flight disruptions have had to extend their stays temporarily by another two to three nights while waiting for new flights home.
As for Phuket’s overall tourism picture during January and February, hotel occupancy remained above 90%, while in March it began to fall to around 70% in line with the late tourism season.
If the impact of the Middle East situation is also taken into account, tourist numbers could decline by a further 10%.
Although the impact is not yet severe, operators admit that uncertainty over the global situation remains a key factor that must be closely monitored, as international tourism still depends heavily on air links and geopolitical stability.
