SiteMinder, a global leader in room distribution and revenue management platform, 'reveals' that this year's Songkran festival, international tourists account for 86% of hotel bookings scheduled to check in between April 10-17, an increase of 15%.

Mr. Suphakrit Plansomboon, Country Manager of SiteMinder Thailand, revealed that the international popularity of Songkran has helped drive overall hotel bookings up compared to last year. Koh Samui – the filming location of The White Lotus – saw bookings increase by 65%, followed by Chiang Mai which increased by 41% and Bangkok by 20%. The increasing trend in hotel bookings by international tourists during the Thai New Year festival is consistent with longer booking periods, with international tourists choosing to book their accommodation in popular festival destinations further in advance than last year.

Koh Samui hotels have the highest average booking period at 109 days, up 33% from 82 days last year, while Phuket hotels have also seen an average booking period increase of 33%, extending from 76 days to 100 days. Hotels in Bangkok have also shown a similar trend. With advance booking periods increasing by 17% from 69 days to 81 days.

"In addition, hotel stays nationwide during Songkran week increased by 7.3% year-on-year, from an average of 2.41 nights to 2.59 nights, reflecting the diverse charms of the country's tourist attractions. Koh Samui remained the longest-staying destination, with average stays increasing by 1.5% from 3.74 nights to 3.80 nights," said the manager.

Despite the influx of international tourists, hotel room rates fell slightly during the festival, with average room rates nationwide falling by 2.3% year-on-year from THB 6,742 to THB 6,586. However, hotel room rates on Koh Samui and Phuket are expected to increase, with average daily rates (ADR) increasing by 38% to THB 11,073 on Koh Samui and by 8.1% to THB 5,889 in Phuket.

"It is very encouraging to see Songkran rising to the level of other major festivals around the world in attracting tourists to Thailand. The increase in length of stay and advance booking periods Driven by the surge in international tourist arrivals during Songkran, it is a testament to the excitement people around the world have for Thailand’s biggest festival,” said Mr. Suphakrit.

The decline in average daily rates (ADR) presents a great opportunity for hotels and accommodation providers to adopt dynamic pricing strategies to fully capitalise on this surge in demand.

As travelers plan ahead and extend their stays, hotels can adjust their revenue strategies and offer special packages to attract high-spending guests, which can help turn the increased interest in Songkran into higher profits.

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