The efforts of the Thai government to stimulate domestic tourism have not yielded results in Chang Mai. Those that are open only have an occupancy rate of 15 percent.
Laied Bungsrithong, president of Thai Hotels Association, and also general manager of Rati Lanna Riverside Spa Resort, said about 20.000 rooms have become available since the hotels reopened on July 20, but the average occupancy rate of 15 percent remains well below average. expectation and tipping point to return.
About 70 percent of hotels have simply remained closed because it costs more to open than to keep the doors locked.
The government has poured billions of baht into subsidized schemes to boost domestic tourism, but they have had little impact, Laied said. Even during the recent four-day weekend created to replace canceled Songkran holidays, average occupancy was less than 40 percent.
Most hotels need to be at least half full to break even, she noted.
One problem with the subsidized government programs is that they are complicated to qualify for and apply for, Laied said. This will also be terminated the following month.
She proposed to the government to redesign its programs to make them more accessible and to extend the promotion until the end of April.
Source: Pattaya News