Thailand's high season fails to lift lower-star hotels

Dhaka: Thailand's high season has begun, but many hotels are not seeing the benefit, with ASEAN visitor numbers down about 20%, according to the Thai Hotels Association (THA).

The association's president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun said overall tourism in the final quarter looks broadly flat compared with last year, though performance varies by market.

Long-haul travelers are holding up better. They tend to book four- and five-star hotels, which are reporting decent advance bookings.

Lower-rated hotels, on the other hand, are struggling, particularly with ASEAN guests, who are more sensitive to travel costs.

Flooding has also dented confidence among short-haul travelers. Many Thais are cutting back on trips to save money for repairing flood-damaged homes and vehicles.

Costs, however, remain Chaiyapatranun's biggest concern. With a higher airport passenger service charge already in force, a proposed THB 450 tourist fee, and a THB 1,000 departure tax, each foreign visitor could face THB 2,570 to THB 3,000 in additional charges.

THA said these extra costs would make Thailand less competitive than destinations such as Vietnam and Hong Kong. For a family of four, the extra charges could total THB 10,280.

The association has formally written to the Revenue Department to oppose the departure tax and asked the government to publish an impact study first.

Chaiyapatranun also urged better coordination at airports, from immigration to baggage handling, to avoid long queues, which he said recur every high season.