Chiang Mai hoteliers want help

13 Jun 2011

Hotel operators in Chiang Mai have asked the Thai government for help in promoting the city as low season room occupancy rates reach all-time lows. The Northern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA) said that hotels were less than 40 per cent full in the current low season and this followed a downward trend that began in 2006.

THA advisor Kanok Suwansutr said average occupancy rates last year were between 45 and 50 per cent. He added that despite the fact hotels were giving discounts of up to 50 per cent on standard room rates, the amount of people staying at Chiang Mai hotels continued to decline.

Hoteliers in Northern Thailand believed that after the end of the political unrest of the last few years, visitor numbers would improve this year. The global financial crisis has prevented European and North American tourists from coming, while the forthcoming general election in Thailand on 3 July has led domestic visitors to postpone any travel plans.

Travel operators in Chiang Mai allege the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is not currently promoting their city and province enough. They say TAT should market Chiang Mai both at home and in Asian regional markets such as China, Korea, India and Malaysia.

TAT domestic marketing director Thawatchai Arunyik said his agency would hold discussions with THA and Chiang Mai tour businesses. He said that tourism growth in Chiang Mai was slower than in other popular regions of Thailand and hotel oversupply had made it difficult for hoteliers there to fill all their rooms.

Tags: Chiang Mai hoteliers help