Happy New Year season for hotel industry
This New Year season has been a jolly good one so far for the country's accommodations industry, as 85-90 per cent of hotels in major tourism destinations were already booked, compared with 70-75 per cent last year after Thailand was hit by a massive floo
Surapong Techaruwijit, president of the Thai Hotels Association, yesterday told Krungthep Turakij TV that inbound tourists had already increased 15 per cent for this year-end’s holiday period. Hotel reservations are also up 10-15 per cent, varying from region to region.
Next year, the global tourism industry is forecast to expand 4-6 per cent, but Asia is expected to beat that. And if there is no significant negative event, Thailand’s tourism industry could grow by 10-15 per cent, he said.
The economic slowdown in Europe did not reduce the number of European travellers to Thailand in the peak season, though their numbers did not go up, either.
The influx of Chinese tourists this year has been remarkable, thanks to heavy marketing activities aimed at both the public and private sectors. China’s government has also encouraged its citizens to visit Thailand.
Thailand targets tourism revenue of Bt2 trillion in 2015, nearly double the Bt1.2 trillion earned last year. The only way to achieve this ambitious goal is to focus more on groups of big spenders such as golfers, divers and honeymooners, Surapong said.
The Asean Economic Community in 2015 is unlikely to bring much change to the hotel industry, but more local hotel businesses might invest in neighbouring countries. The competition among hotels in Thailand has long been intensifying, he noted.
