A SLEW of luxury hotels opening in Thailand amid the Covid-19 pandemic are pinning their hopes on a government plan to lure high-spending tourists, betting that those seeking five-star quarantine will help cushion the devastation wrought on the travel industry.
Six luxury hotels that opened in Bangkok during the pandemic or will open soon – including the Four Seasons, Kempinski and Capella – are likely to benefit from a new visa aimed at attracting long-stay visitors, high-spenders and medical travellers to put the economy back on a growth track.
While Thailand has weathered the novel coronavirus outbreak better than most other South-east Asian nations, it is faced with one of its worst recessions on record because of the loss of tourists, who in 2019 pumped around US$62 billion into the economy.
Targeting luxury travellers who stay longer and spend more could staunch some of those losses, said Deepak Ohri, chief executive officer (CEO) of Lebua Hotels & Resorts.
