Pattaya hotel bookings down. 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. (a Bangkok Jack Report) 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. – Sophon Cable
