Thailand – Luxury in 2009 on a Backpacker’s Budget?
The Thailand hotel industry sees some luxury hotel properties drop to “single-digit occupancy rate” following recent turmoil in Bangkok, Thailand. The country’s primary international airport, BKK, was shut down for a week by protestors. Tourism could be impacted by a decline in tourism due to negative perception of Thailand as a 2009 vacation destination. Projections are as high as 2.3 million foreign tourists staying away.
Story: http://www.hotelsmag.com/articleXML/LN897557488.html
Travel tourism indicators like the Bangkok Airport event stranding thousands of American tourists in Thailand could be another sign for big discounts on resort travel through resort packages and online outlets like SkyAuction.com. A website I have used in the past for Asia travel bargains is www.zuji.com with sites in Hong Kong, Singapore, and several other Asia Pacific countries.
I expect hotel loyalty promotional bonuses to market and attract visitors to Thailand’s big chain hotels will be likely in 2009.
My quick survey of rates indicated hotel deals are to be found in Bangkok with good availability of rooms using points. The beach hotels are more hit and miss depending on dates. I did see much more availability of rooms for points and lower prices in February 2009 than for January 2009. The recent airport troubles and political turmoil may see better deals for the traveler for late winter, early spring after the tourists who booked trips before the troubles finish their vacations and the lull in reservations hits the system.
Bangkok, The Peninsula Hotel, pool
