Thailand waives hotel occupancy tax for next two years to aid tourism recovery

BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): The Cabinet on Tuesday (July 5) suspended the occupancy tax levied on hotels for another two years, until June 30, 2024, to relieve Covid-19 impacts on hotel operators.

"Waiving the hotel tax for another two years will help hotel and tourism-related operators rehabilitate as the country reopens to foreign tourists," said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha.

"Also, it will benefit the country's economy in the long term as tourism is the country's main engine generating revenue."

Prayut added that the government will issue a ministerial regulation extending the waiver of annual hotel tax at 40 baht per room, after the previous regulation expired on June 30.

The PM said the economy would take time to recover even though the government has eased restrictions on business operations. The tax waiver would reduce hotel operators' expenses by about 47.35 million baht, he added.