Driving Direct Bookings & ADR, Thailand after "We Travel Together"

Welcome back to the 3rd installment of the Avalon Insights Newsletter. In this issue, we reflect on some of the news shared throughout July, as well as take a look at what the upcoming months may hold for the hospitality and travel industry.

From looking at key insights shared in industry events the Avalon Analytics have attended across Asia Pacific, to sharing some actionable tips to support direct bookings - join us for the latest edition of the Avalon Insights Newsletter.

AVALON PARTNERS WITH THE SLATE PHUKET

We were proud to announce another breathtaking property added to the Avalon Analytics portfolio, the uniquely designed Bill Bensley property in Phuket, The Slate .

WELCOMING A NEW FACE TO THE AVALON TEAM

Last month we officially welcomed yet another superstar addition to the Avalon Analytics team, Sofia Saadaoui , who joins us as a Senior Portfolio Revenue Manager.

Sofia brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our team. Originally from Morocco, she holds a master's degree in tourism management and planning. Over the past 10 years, Sofia has worked extensively in Revenue Management across various accommodation types, gaining valuable expertise abroad. Her most recent accomplishment was being a part of the Accommodation Revenue Team at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where she contributed to the success of the host country.

3 POWERFUL POSTS FROM THIS JULY

Sarah Severs has once again selected 3 posts from the past month that she feels are a 'must bookmark' for any hospitality professional.

She shared that "a lot of hoteliers are looking for ways in which to drive direct bookings and continue ADR growth, which influenced my selection for this month's top picks."

• 5 Tips to Supercharge Your Rate Management Strategy and Drive ADR
• 8 Essential Tips to Drive Direct Bookings
• The Impact of Flight Prices on Asia's Hospitality Industry

REFLECTING ON THAILAND'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY POST "WE TRAVEL TOGETHER"

The "We Travel Together" or "?????????????????" was a programme designed to promote and support domestic travel. The government entitlements included subsidised hotel rooms and air tickets up to 40% and each person received a 600 baht coupon per day for food during their stay.

Hotel occupancy rates in Thailand plunged to below 50% during the period May to June, an immediate fallout of the termination of the government’s "We Travel Together" campaign in April according to the "Hotel Business Confidence Index in May 2023”. conducted by the Bank of Thailand and Thai Hotels Association.?

The average occupancy rates by region in May compared to April were:

• The North declined from 42.7% to 29.9%
• The Northeast dropped from 43.5% to 40%
• The East fell from 67.1% to 59%
• The Central region fell from 65.5% to 59%
• The South decreased from 61.8% to 52.4%

This data is confirmed by Avalon's Insights team, with a clear drop in domestic demand as a result of this end.

We have also seen that Thai tourists now are looking further afield, planning international trips after having explored the Thai hotel landscape through travel restrictions.

Have you seen an impact from the end of Travel Together when compared to last year's numbers? Let us know in the comments below.