New wave to dampen pageant tourism

New wave to dampen festival tourism

TAT predicts a 50% drop in revenue during Songkran

A travel agent sits in front of his closed shop in Bangkok on Thursday. Thailand remains closed to international tourists due to Covid-19.

The new Covid-19 outbreak is expected to cut tourism revenue in half during the Songkran Festival after many provinces voluntarily imposed a 14-day quarantine while dozens of events were canceled or postponed, according to the Thai Tourism Authority (TAT).

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said a large number of infections emanating from the Thong Lor cluster will impact tourism activities next week, resulting in stricter travel regulations in key destinations and lower confidence in tourism .

TAT previously estimated 3.2 million domestic trips would generate 12 billion baht for the economy over the next week.

However, in light of the outbreak, Yuthasak said the number of travel and revenue are expected to drop 50% to 1.6 million and 6 billion baht, respectively.

Almost 70% of guests heading towards Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin) have already canceled their hotel rooms as the province noted a high number of local infections.

This week, Hua Hin reported 25 Covid-19 cases related to travelers from Nonthaburi. More tourists will continue to cancel bookings if the number of Covid-19 cases there continues to rise, he said.

In Chiang Mai, where tourists from Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Nakhon Pathom must adhere to a 14-day quarantine period or pass a test for Covid-19 on arrival, cancellations of around 20% have been recorded.

Pattaya hotels reported a drop in bookings as occupancy is expected to drop from 90% to 60% after tourists raised concerns about safety and strict travel policies in many locations.

The northeast, where eight provinces require 10- or 14-day quarantines for those from vulnerable areas, also saw 20% cancellations, led by Nakhon Ratchasima, with over 130 bookings deleted.

Mr Yuthasak said hotels in the south reported cancellations at around 15% from an average occupancy of 50-90% previously.

The cancellations in this region are not as high as in other places as Phuket and Phangnga still allow tourists to visit without quarantine. Instead, they asked travelers to activate a tracking application.

However, further cancellations may occur in some provinces that use Songkhla’s Hat Yai Airport as a transportation hub as Songkhla has issued a 14-day quarantine mandate for travelers from high-risk areas, including Bangkok.

Hotels in Satun, a province only accessible from Hat Yai Airport, recorded 14.3% cancellations with an average occupancy of 54.4%.

Destinations in the Gulf of Thailand were also affected, with 20% of all bookings canceled in Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan while 15% was canceled in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Meanwhile, 38 Songkran events and activities across the country have been canceled or postponed to curb the spread of viruses, including the TAT-sponsored “Amazing Songkran Festival” from April 13-15.