Pattaya high season hotel bookings well down on 2017 - but there could be a reason say THA

 

Pictures: Sophon Cable

 

The chief of the Thai Hoteliers' Association of the eastern seaboard has told Sophon that booking for high season at Pattaya hotels are well down on those experienced last year. 

 

But some of this could be explained by changes in booking behavior brought on my computer technology. 

 

Dr Phakhamon Wongyai said that in the past people booking hotels did so well in advance about two to three months before arrival. This meant that hoteliers were well apprised of trends.

 

 

These days customers were fishing around for the best deals and waiting until the last moment - most booked just a week or two before with some waiting until a single day before arrival. 

 

But she conceded that hotel bookings were down on last year. As an example November 2018 has seen a 5% drop on 2017.

 

There are far fewer Russians in particular due to the state of the rouble, she said. 

 

The downturn in mainland Chinese arrivals is also serious though this has been offset to a degree by more Taiwanese coming. 

 

They exhibit different behavior, however, being less likely to come on group tours. They tend to spend more money and organize things themselves rather than rely on tour companies. 

 

Source: Sophon Cable

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-11-28

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

But some of this could be explained by changes in booking behavior brought on my computer technology. 

If you say so. 

Come on, look on the bright side :

 

There are far fewer Russians in particular due to the state of the rouble, she said. 

The downturn in mainland Chinese arrivals

 

Oh yes.  The computer, Internet and hotel booking websites all invented in 2018.

 

Booked hotel in Pattaya for Dec 13 on Agoda a couple of days ago:

 

"Hurry, 44% of rooms in Pattaya are booked for your dates"

 

 

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by Enoon

hey did you forget the INDIANS i was in Pattaya a few nights ago, thought i was in INDIA lol, even cheaper charlies than the Chinese

all the agents Agoda etc do this to try and get you to panic buy, its a sells routine,when you get in touch with the hotel direct , and the answer has always been , *yes no problem, we have a room for you *

3 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

all the agents Agoda etc do this to try and get you to panic buy, its a sells routine,when you get in touch with the hotel direct , and the answer has always been , *yes no problem, we have a room for you *

Believe the point was only 44% - normally they report you are getting the last available room on the planet.  

6 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

all the agents Agoda etc do this to try and get you to panic buy, its a sells routine,when you get in touch with the hotel direct , and the answer has always been , *yes no problem, we have a room for you *

But they of ten charge more. And each hotel site is allocated a certain number of rooms to market and fill. 

The Internet ehy........

Chindia the new buzzword and arrivals are down, but number of hotels up and rising.

Tough time for hoteliers in Pattaya, even tougher for nightlife entertainment, since Chindia does not have deep pockets for girlie bars.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

 

10 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Believe the point was only 44% - normally they report you are getting the last available room on the planet.  

And someone else is looking at the room , so you'd better book immediately 

Last weekend we could even park on beachroad to have lunch...and it wasn't busy at all, no traffic jam, no coaches full of chinese....restaurants were empty...perfect!

Many 4-5 star traveling Westerners “been there; done that” with Thailand but also are finding other SE Asian countries that have cleaner beaches or more customer friendly than Thailand. With Thailand’s “excessive tourism” not keeping up with the infrastructure or ruining its pristine beaches with no building codes, lack of “anti-littering” campaigns to educate the locals along with lack of good customer service, Thailand has ruined the goose that laid the golden egg. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They exhibit different behavior, however, being less likely to come on group tours. They tend to spend more money and organize things themselves rather than rely on tour companies. 

 

What a nice dream 

wake up 

The  Chinese had find out you are not a 1 class quality family resort 

About Russians they mostly only comes for working but get bs from their own country man 

As a hotel owner of 10 years , I agree bookings are down but do not think have anything to do with computers , more to do with no people coming.

 

November this year is about 5% less than last year, however December as it stands now about 50% less than last year, is hardly any bookings for December.

 

January already half booked.

 

People are just not coming back and all who came. All say the same thing , which is Thailand is not cheap as it use to be and those who come to party say it’s not as fun as it use to be.

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by BestB

3 hours ago, webfact said:

They exhibit different behavior

They don't have a pony & trap in public .?

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by Justgrazing
& trap

just for clarity old chap  it should be  "pony and trap"  ????  ????

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by johng

16 minutes ago, johng said:

just for clarity old chap  it should be  "pony and trap"  ????  ????

Sorry old boy .. I forgot not all members may be familiar with the abbreviated version .. 

Seems to be a weekly news story last week Thai Airways CEO claimed numbers were up on 2017.

What do you believe?? but i saw with my own eyes in pattaya Sunday Bugger All Tourist.

 

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

There are far fewer Russians in particular due to the state of the rouble, she said. 

No.............There are far fewer tourists from everywhere due to the artificially high Baht.

I blame the ATM fees.

3 hours ago, JoePai said:

Come on, look on the bright side :

 

There are far fewer Russians in particular due to the state of the rouble, she said. 

The downturn in mainland Chinese arrivals

 

Thailand. Stop killing chinese. The exchange rate to thai baht is crap and you know it. Stop ripping off tourists 50 baht for thai and 400 baht for forieners at your national parks. Airbnb is a swear word in thailand. And train your fellow man to stop 3 or 4 beating up 1 foriener at a time. Lets not forget father and his wife and their 40 year old son set apon in hua hin 

Edited November 28, 20187 yr by helloagain
Added to it

Absolute, complete, total BS nonsense. What a farce. Truth is not truth, I guess. Who waits until the last minute to book a vacation in high season? Maybe 10% at most. This woman is both delusional, and compromised. Bottom line is that bookings throughout Thailand are down, and there are many, many good reasons for it. It is called the chickens coming home to roost. Thailand is just not keeping up with the demand, and the services are sub-par. Too bad for the Thai people. This administration has been very bad for the Thai people. They are a disaster. 

2 hours ago, toenail said:

Many 4-5 star traveling Westerners “been there; done that” with Thailand but also are finding other SE Asian countries that have cleaner beaches or more customer friendly than Thailand. With Thailand’s “excessive tourism” not keeping up with the infrastructure or ruining its pristine beaches with no building codes, lack of “anti-littering” campaigns to educate the locals along with lack of good customer service, Thailand has ruined the goose that laid the golden egg. 

Spot on. But, the blame will be shifted elsewhere and not much will be done about it. 

5% is well down? Thais are so slow.

Could it be, it's Pataya?  The water is contaminated, the odors (sewage) are horrid and the hawkers are aggressive. 

She's right I booked my flight in June to arrive 16 January same as last year,I have booked first week in a guest house but it's got free cancellation,I have just booked two weeks for inn house on soi 6 jomtien because it was a good deal on Agoda also with free cancellation.It's not really the computer that's changed our behaviour it's the smart phone we can research and book from anywhere anytime, I have asked the price of a room in a hotel reception and then checked the price on Agoda and because it was cheaper booked it from my phone and moved in.

For a nation that is not known for thinking outside of the box, this lady, along with her peers at the TAT, Ministry of Tourism and various other tourism departments, are very creative at finding original reasons why tourism is down. It's like they have a mini-competition as to who can get the best reason in the press.

 

What they aren't stating are the actual reasons, and here are a few of them.

 

Strong Baht;

Thailand is no longer a cheap destination;

Thailand is no longer seen as an exotic destination;

Safety and security problems;

Mass-tourism from China and Russia is putting off others;

Mass-tourism from China isn't quite as mass as it was;

Competition from other Asian and worldwide countries;

Bad press coverage in recent years;

The Land of Smiles isn't as smiley as it used to be.

 

Oops, forgot late booking on Agoda!????

 

Even staple travellers such as single men and backpackers are eschewing Thailand in favour of alternative places. I've hardly seen a backpacker this season. 

 

Thailand's recovered from disasters before but this time it feels different; more like 1990s Spain.

 

 

Bookings are down because....wait for it....PEOPLE AREN'T COMMING.  With everything they do WRONG, Thailand has pretty much shot itself in the foot, or maybe the head.  And the sad part is, they have no real plans or agenda on how to clean it up.  The money was good - with the operative word being "was" - but the honeymoon is over.  Too much competition, with better rates and service now.  

 

Will the last person out please turn off the lights.