Despite Global Economic Conditions, Thailand’s Hotel Industry Still Wooing Foreign and Local Investors

Despite the ongoing global economic uncertainties, Thailand’s Hotel Industry is still wooing investors , both locals and foreigners alike.


 
In the first six months of the year alone, Hotel investment volumes in Thailand reached more than 9.2 billion baht, showing that it might outdo last year’s dismal figures of Bt 14 billion. The volume was higher than expected for the six month period and the year end figure might well above the five-year average of THB13.2 billion per annum recorded between 2013 and 2017.
 
Both local and international investors have continued to show keen interest in Thailand’s hospitality market. Sales activity in took place across six markets: Bangkok, Hua Hin, Chiang Rai, Nakorn Ratchasima, Pattaya and Krabi’s Lanta Island. Phuket and Bangkok continued to lead the pack, with investment activity accounting for over 78% of the country’s total volume.
 
By transaction volume, Thai investors dominated investment activity, representing more than 65% of hotel buyers in the first six months of 2019, almost 80% of the Thai investors were corporate entities outside the hospitality industry looking to diversify their investment portfolio, a trend that has emerged in recent years. Foreign investors participating in Thailand’s hotel investment activity were from Singapore, China  and US.
 
In recent years, Thailand has been one of the top hotel investment destinations in Asia. By transaction volume, the country was the region’s fourth most active hotel investment market in 2018 after Japan, China, South Korea. It is  expected that the  momentum in Thailand’s hotel investment market will  continue into 2020. Long-term prospects for the country’s tourism remain promising.
 
Despite a second-half dip in Chinese tourists, and the falling yuan, international arrivals  are expected to hit 40.3 million in 2019 with countries like India, US and The Nordic Countries making up for any shortfalls by the Chinese.
 
Asides from Thailand’s established reputation as one of the world’s best holiday destinations, the local government’s continued efforts to encourage both local and international demand for tourism and improve related infrastructure, including airport expansions, will give a big boost to the country’s tourism industry. The government is also shortly releasing a Bt 170 billion economic stimulus that also has tourism as one of the targeted industries to boost.