BANGKOK, 2 December 2020: Thailand’s new four-day long weekends are having a positive impact on local hotel bookings according to data released by SiteMinder a global hotel industry’s leading guest acquisition platform.
According to SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index, Thailand’s booking momentum last week climbed to around 59% of the level recorded in 2019 for just the third time since last March.
Since 14 October hotel reservation volumes improved 77% and in Phuket booking momentum during October for local properties was the strongest it has been in more than eight months.
The spike in domestic hotel bookings is attributed to two special long weekend holidays (19 to 22 November and 10 to 13 December) both introduced to spur travel and support the local economy.
Following the success of the additional four-day weekend holiday in November, Thailand’s Constitution Day holiday, Thursday 10 December, has been extended with an extra day on 11 December to provide Thai with another special long weekend break.
There has already been a surge in bookings from Thais at around 17% which should continue through to the New Year Break.
“After a difficult year for many of Thailand’s hoteliers, it is pleasing to see the Thai people supporting local businesses across these four-day long weekends,” said SiteMinder’s Asia Pacific regional vice president, Bradley Haines.
“With limited international guests currently in Thailand, they present a unique opportunity to experience the country, and the beauty that it has to offer, before the rush of tourists recommences,”
The recent rise in domestic hotel bookings in Thailand is mirrored in other parts of Asia, with reservations improving month-on-month in Taiwan (+20%), the Philippines (+33%), and Vietnam (+63%), all trending positively on SiteMinder’s World Hotel Index.
About SiteMinder
SiteMinder is used by 35,000 hotels, across 160 countries, generating more than 100 million reservations worth over USD35 billion in revenue for hotels each year.
