News Forum - Desperate hotel operators look to Bangkok re-opening for signs of hope

[Thaiger]

Even with plans still up in the air and nothing confirmed, Thai hotel operators are pinning their hopes on Bangkok’s proposed re-opening next month. The president of the Thai Hotels Association says that while hotels don’t expect a huge uptake in bookings immediately, they are hopeful that average occupancy might reach 15 – 20% in the last 3 months of the year. “The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on both business stability and the mentality of our workers over the past 18 months, as they don’t know when they can return to their jobs and earn a living. The […]

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

6 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi admits that the situation is unpredictable,

You don't say...

[Bob20]

I think it will be better for businesses to know to remain closed for another 1 or 2 months, than to go through the expense of preparing to open, and then close again with a new covid wave, caused by movements from opening too soon.

[HolyCowCm]

Well same as Bangkok they had better call it out to all the hotels and businesses and stop the opening for CM too as the virus quickly spreads festering everywhere. From the looks of it from going through Anusarn Night Market, looks as if spaces and stall areas are actively being drawn out and rented again. Premature getting ready and then giving false idiotic green light hopes costs everyone yet again money that is lost to the money pit. Bangkok needs to stay shut, CM needs to stay shut and Phuket is a lost cause they should have learned from. It is only going to get worse before they vaccinate the majority for it to get better. And that may also not happen because they are shoving the wrong vaccines out that people do no want and may tend to wait until their choice is available..

[GeeJayVN]

Agree to maintain safety standards and not forget them when occupancy goes up.

Reasonable room rates not try to recover all downtime from new business

[Cathat]

Even if bangkok opens up on an unrestricted basis next month uptake will still be negligible.

International tourist and buissness travel is down about 80 percent worldwide.

No signs of that returning to pre crisis levels anytime soon.

When they eventually open up again hopefully they will not try to gouge travellers.

If they do that may well be the end of mass international travel to thailand.

It's going to be a very competitive market and only the best value destinations will survive.

 

[PapayaBokBok]

too exhausted to even comment on this sh*tshow...

[EdwardV]

7 hours ago, Cathat said:

It's going to be a very competitive market and only the best value destinations will survive.

Truer words were never spoken. If they are greedy, they will kill the golden goose before it can lay many eggs.

[MrStretch]

“If the hotel and tour subsidies can start on October 10, it will persuade more travellers to take long holiday trips that week, creating good momentum for hotels and accelerating hiring in the sector.”

Ain't gonna happen.

On top of the fact there won't be any international travelers, local travelers are also going to be very wary of taking a holiday in Bangkok this early.  If they start the scheme again, I wouldn't think of going to Bangkok or Pattaya or even Phuket.  I'd go somewhere off the beaten path, like Koh Lanta.

The hoteliers, the restaurateurs and others in the industry are going to have to find a way to hold out a little longer.

One of the problems is scale-up.  If the government opened Bangkok tomorrow, most hotels and restaurants wouldn't be able to open tomorrow.  It takes time to clean a business that's been closed for months, stock it and prepare for opening.

[RobMuir]

They have had a very tough 18 months with this.

Tens of thousands of businesses completely destroyed, many if which will never return. Millions of jobs lost. Dreams shattered.

I wish them all the best picking up the rubble and to slowly rebuild again.

It has been a tragedy. 

 

[Bob20]

9 minutes ago, MrStretch said:

One of the problems is scale-up.  If the government opened Bangkok tomorrow, most hotels and restaurants wouldn't be able to open tomorrow.  It takes time to clean a business that's been closed for months, stock it and prepare for opening.

...and, if opened too early followed by a surge in cases, prepare to close again!

[Lowseasonlover]

I know a few and not just the small business's big ones also, 

[Lowseasonlover]

12 minutes ago, MrStretch said:

“If the hotel and tour subsidies can start on October 10, it will persuade more travellers to take long holiday trips that week, creating good momentum for hotels and accelerating hiring in the sector.”

Ain't gonna happen.

On top of the fact there won't be any international travelers, local travelers are also going to be very wary of taking a holiday in Bangkok this early.  If they start the scheme again, I wouldn't think of going to Bangkok or Pattaya or even Phuket.  I'd go somewhere off the beaten path, like Koh Lanta.

The hoteliers, the restaurateurs and others in the industry are going to have to find a way to hold out a little longer.

One of the problems is scale-up.  If the government opened Bangkok tomorrow, most hotels and restaurants wouldn't be able to open tomorrow.  It takes time to clean a business that's been closed for months, stock it and prepare for opening.

My friend has a 50 bedroom hotel her biggest problem was getting staff, she kept it closed I think it would have cost her more to open it

[farang]

yes,i hope thai can get this under control soon.i know the people are hurting for work,jobs and buying needed food and  paying rent and just for living.this virus might be an on going or yearly thing we have to learn to live with.hopeing all the best.looking for better days ahead.

[Bob20]

On 9/18/2021 at 8:10 AM, Lowseasonlover said:

My friend has a 50 bedroom hotel her biggest problem was getting staff, she kept it closed I think it would have cost her more to open it

This is (and has been) the problem everywhere. Not just hotels but restaurants too. 

In order to open you have to have staff and you have to get (fresh) stock. And if you open too early and are faced with restrictions again, your investment goes down the drain (again).

Best to have a sensible plan and clearly tell people and businesses: We do (X) vaccinations each day and by date (Y) we will have done 85% of the population. Two weeks later the vaccines are effective and THEN we open the country.

No more silly hoops to jump through. No fake numbers. Foreign countries will accept such a plan and remove the country from the red-list as per that date. And society can open, just like is the case in other countries with high vaccination rates.

[Americanbob]

Where I live hotels also have taking a giant hit as no tourists are allowed in.

Decided to book a place for a weekend getaway with my wife. Cancelled that idea quickly when discovered they have actually raised their prices (despite few bookings), and their restaurant being closed down.

Never count on anything making sense - nor hotels, resorts, or airlines lowering prices to lure people back.

Besides, who wants to go to Bangkok until everything opens back up. meh.