BANGKOK: The April 2026 Hotel Business Operator Sentiment Index, jointly prepared by Thai Hotels Association (THA) and Bank of Thailand, was based on a survey conducted from April 16 to April 30, 2026 among respondents from 134 accommodation businesses.
Assessing the outlook for “foreign tourist” customers in the second quarter of 2026 (2Q26), it found that more than 62% of operators expected long-haul guests to decline by more than 10% from the same period last year.
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of THA, said most hotel businesses, particularly four-star hotels and above, expected overall foreign guest numbers in 2Q26 to decline from the same period last year.
For the “long-haul” market, more than 34% of survey respondents expected a drop of more than 20%, while another 28% said it was likely to fall by 11% to 20%.
This meant more than 62% expected a decline of more than 10%, driven by unrest in the Middle East, which had pushed up tourism costs, including higher air fares, and reduced travel confidence.
For the “short-haul” market, excluding China, more than 22% of respondents expected a decline of more than 20% in 2Q, while 30% said it was likely to fall by 11% to 20%.
A further 18% said it was likely to decline by no more than 10%. Looking only at the “Chinese market”, 17% of respondents expected travel to Thailand to fall by more than 30%, while 11% expected a decline of 21% to 30%.
Another 23% expected a fall of 11% to 20%, and a further 16% expected a decline of no more than 10%.
“However, about 10% of hotels, particularly those rated no higher than three stars, assessed the number of Chinese guests and short-haul customers to trend upwards.
“This is partly due to easing concerns over safety concerns, and they may also benefit from customers switching their destination to Thailand instead.”
For the “occupancy rate” last month, the average forecast was at 62%, down from the previous month and from the same period last year, while the forecast for May 2026 stood at 52%, lower than last year.
A regional breakdown of the occupancy rate in April 2026 showed that the north averaged 40%, down from 44% in March.
The east region recorded 65%, slightly down from 66%, while the central region stood at 63%, down from 75%, and the south at 67%, down from 76%.
Chaiyapatranun added that the overall tourism situation was positive, as the “Songkran Festival” continued to attract lively travel by both Thai and foreign tourists, helping distribute income to the tourism sector.
Last month, Tourism Authority of Thailand and related agencies held a readiness meeting to move forward with efforts to drive the tourism industry through the “Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2026” project, offering discounts and privileges to foreign tourists in both main cities and cities worth visiting. — The Nation/ANN
