Bangkok hotel occupancy drops 25%
The ongoing anti-government protests in Thailand, especially in the capital Bangkok, have taken their toll on hotel occupancy rates. A poll conducted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) showed that occupany in Bangkok has dropped 25.5 per cent in November 2013.
Other provinces that saw dropping rates were in Nakhon Ratchasima (minus 5.6 per cent), Kanchanaburi (minus 5 per cent) and Songkhla (minus 4.4 per cent). However, arrivals in Chiang Mai and Chonburi were still positive, showing an increase of 2.7 per cent and 7.9 per cent respectively during the period.
The TAT poll was carried out from November 21 to 28 on a sample of 600 business operators in six provinces. Of the respondents, 57.1 per cent said they had suffered from a drop in occupancy rates and advance bookings, while 31.6 per cent said their business performance was better in comparison with the same period last year.
As for the impact the political turmoil was having on tourism as a whole, 71 per cent of the respondents in Bangkok said it was very difficult to get around, while 72 per cent of those in Kanchanaburi said it was more difficult to sell their products. Operators in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chonburi, meanwhile, said costs were on the rise.
As a survival tactic, 21 per cent of the respondents in Bangkok are giving away restaurant gift vouchers, while 69 per cent of the companies in the capital are calling on the government to guarantee their earnings if their businesses are hit by the political chaos. Most of the respondents also said they wanted the administration to continue promoting tourism. In addition, 79.8 per cent of them said they were confident that business would get better in 2014.
The ongoing anti-government protests in Thailand, especially in the capital Bangkok, have taken their toll on hotel occupancy rates. A poll conducted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) showed that occupany in Bangkok has dropped 25.5 per cent in November 2013. Other provinces that saw dropping rates were in Nakhon Ratchasima (minus 5.6 per cent), Kanchanaburi (minus 5 per cent) and Songkhla (minus 4.4 per cent). However, arrivals in Chiang Mai and Chonburi were still positive, showing an increase of 2.7 per cent and 7.9 per cent respectively during the period. The TAT poll was carried out from November...
The ongoing anti-government protests in Thailand, especially in the capital Bangkok, have taken their toll on hotel occupancy rates. A poll conducted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) showed that occupany in Bangkok has dropped 25.5 per cent in November 2013.
Other provinces that saw dropping rates were in Nakhon Ratchasima (minus 5.6 per cent), Kanchanaburi (minus 5 per cent) and Songkhla (minus 4.4 per cent). However, arrivals in Chiang Mai and Chonburi were still positive, showing an increase of 2.7 per cent and 7.9 per cent respectively during the period.
The TAT poll was carried out from November 21 to 28 on a sample of 600 business operators in six provinces. Of the respondents, 57.1 per cent said they had suffered from a drop in occupancy rates and advance bookings, while 31.6 per cent said their business performance was better in comparison with the same period last year.
As for the impact the political turmoil was having on tourism as a whole, 71 per cent of the respondents in Bangkok said it was very difficult to get around, while 72 per cent of those in Kanchanaburi said it was more difficult to sell their products. Operators in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chonburi, meanwhile, said costs were on the rise.
As a survival tactic, 21 per cent of the respondents in Bangkok are giving away restaurant gift vouchers, while 69 per cent of the companies in the capital are calling on the government to guarantee their earnings if their businesses are hit by the political chaos. Most of the respondents also said they wanted the administration to continue promoting tourism. In addition, 79.8 per cent of them said they were confident that business would get better in 2014.
