Hotel occupancy on Koh Samui is at an all-time low
The hotel occupancy rate on the island of Samui fell to 30% during the last quarter of this year. Last year that was still 50% in the same period, according to Vorasit Pongkumpunt, chairman of the Tourism Association on Koh Samui.
He mainly attributes the low numbers to the strong baht. Many Chinese tourists choose cheaper beach destinations in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. He expects the dip in tourism to continue into the first quarter of next year (the high season on the island).
Vorasit also says that the situation will deteriorate further in the coming year because at least 1.000 hotel rooms of new large hotel chains will be added to the island, while the number of tourists will only decrease. This may lead to a price war among the hotels. There is already an abundance of 30.000 rooms. Ultimately, this will lead to redundancies in the hotel industry and other social problems.
Bangkok Airways operates about 40 flights daily, carrying 3.000-4.000 passengers to Samui Airport. This pales in comparison to Phuket, which has 200 flights a day. Vorasit wants the airline to offer cheaper airfares to attract more tourists to Koh Samui, especially during the low season of October-November. He also suggested reducing landing fees at the airport to allow for more chartered flights.
About 40% of tourists visit the island by air via Samui Airport, while the rest use ferry services from Surat Thani.
Source: Bangkok Post
Reminds me of all those sad high-rise buildings along the Spanish costas that became empty after Spain was exchanged for Greece, Turkey and Egypt respectively… All countries that could offer the same or more authentic experience cheaper.
For the time being, the prices in the tourist spots for a coffee or a beer remain much too high: I pay less on the Leidsenplein in Amsaterdam.
The baht will therefore first have to devalue (I do not see the euro becoming more expensive) and the attitude of the Thai may have to be adjusted a bit – friendliness is often hard to find.
And it is still the case that in neighboring countries you will get a lot more for your hard-earned euro for the time being.
Here again the same, simplistic and even untrue excuse of the strong Baht.
Why not: far too high prices compared to what is offered (not to mention compared to other tourist destinations in the region) and the monopoly of Bangkok Airways that charges absurd amounts for a plane ticket from Bangkok. 200 to 400 dollars (one way) is not an exception but the rule. For an amount of 6000 Baht I fly to UdonThani at least 4 times.
Well what a surprise again.
Bangkok Airways has the exclusive right to flights to Samui, with the exception of 2 daily SilkAir flights from Singapore.
The prices are corresponding. Cheapest return ticket is more than €200 and usually around €300. For someone coming from Europe on a €500 ticket, that is still 40-60% extra for 2x an hour of flying. A lot of people just won't do that.
Only government intervention helps here, as Bangkok Airways owns the airport and therefore very easily keeps the competition out.
Last year I paid 23€ for a flight Bangkok-Phuket with Asia-Air, all inclusive?? What a difference with Samui.
Well I just came from there and when you see what a construction site it is everywhere you don't even want to go there.
What a disappointment if you think you are going to an island, where you are ashamed to see the people of the island paddling in the muck of garbage that floats in the sea on the coast.
There is also nowhere left where you can go into the sea because everything is full of hotels that destroy everything on the beautiful island.
I drove all over the island and everything was a mess .
But that's how it goes in Phuket too, they keep pumping money into hotels and the neighbors fall over.
Too bad for such a beautiful country as Thailand.
I'm not going there anymore.
That's fine, there should be even fewer and I hope that for the whole of Thailand.. If they continue like this, it will happen sometime.
Now that even the Chinese are staying away, surely someone will wonder what to do? Or are they going to wait until everything is in order...
The only question is, when will they do something about the course of the Bath and when will they abolish all the nonsense surrounding the visas. Of course there must be rules, but rules of which it is understandable that they exist…. Just as well that there are no rules in the Netherlands, of which I also do not understand that they do not exist…
In December I already had problems with a tourist visa in The Hague. A plane ticket for 88 days and a visa for 60 days was suddenly no longer possible. I said, I extend it on the spot, I always do. Okay, but then come back with bank statements. I said, bank statements? Never did. Now yes and otherwise no visa.
It's getting crazier here...
There will be 30% fewer tourists to Samui and 1000 more hotel rooms. At the same time, the prognosis is poor. I think this may be the trend throughout Thailand in the coming years. Hopefully the big hotel chains will stop building and tourists will stay away. This country is (still) good as it is, and it will get worse if it continues in the same way. There are many countries around Thailand that are also worth seeing.
The 3 reasons why most people come to Thailand disappear like snow in the sun. People liked to come so that Thailand was not expensive…..now many things are no longer cheaper even more expensive than in Europe.
The friendliness of the Thai. Anyone who knew the Thai until about 15 years ago experiences daily that the friendly Thai has become rather an arrogant Thai. Apparently they don't need us anymore. Reminds me of the Spaniards….late 80s.
The relaxed atmosphere. Anyone who thinks they can still experience something of the relaxed Thai atmosphere of yesteryear will now have to make do with a wrought-up atmosphere where only the color of the money is of any importance.
Let's not get started on the visa charade.
I also no longer think it is the beautiful country it used to be. There is the same mess everywhere with not the slightest form of spatial planning. Bangkok has the honor of having the most polluted city in the world. Every country takes its air quality seriously in one way or another except Thailand. .
It is downright dirty in many places with litter everywhere and an unbelievable lack of respect for nature and the environment, not to mention the garbage beaches.
It's changing everywhere, but unlike in the past, I now find a lot of countries a lot nicer, more beautiful and certainly not more expensive to stay in than Thailand.