Thai Hotels Association Warns Regulations Will Hurt Tourism
Skift Take
- The Thai Hotels Association (THA) expresses concerns about new regulations that exclude accommodations with up to eight rooms and 30 guests from the hotel business, anticipating a 15% to 20% loss in tourism revenue and increased safety risks. The THA believes these regulations have more disadvantages than benefits, while the Tourism Council of Thailand supports them.
- Speculation grows regarding the legalization of casino gambling in Thailand within three years, attracting international and regional operators. The text emphasizes the importance of the government's approach to legalization, as it could affect investor interest, citing examples from other countries like Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan.
- New World Hotels & Resorts, an upper-upscale hotel brand under Rosewood Hotel Group, is actively expanding in Asia. They plan to have 18 operating hotels by the end of the year, with two more opening in 2024. The brand is entering various markets, including Mainland China, Vietnam, and Japan.
The Thai Hotels Association said new ministerial regulations allowingplaces of accommodation with no more than eight rooms and 30 guests to be excluded from the hotel business would lead to a 15% to 20% loss of tourism revenue and an increase in safety risks. The regulation was recently published in the Royal Gazette, and THA believes this creates more disadvantages than benefits. The Tourism Council of Thailand proposed and supported this new regulation, saying it will boost local homestays with unique services. The THA thinks this will exempt more properties under the same rules as registered hotels, and the government will lose revenue.
More people believe Thailand will legalize casino gambling within three years, prompting a gold rush among international and regional operators. While there are more signs of less opposition to casinos, how they legalize them may be a lot more important than if they do it. For every Singapore andM
