Bangkok –
Thai hoteliers expressed concerns over the government’s plans to set dual accommodation pricing for foreign and local tourists, saying that the idea was not practical during the country’s attempt to spur tourism and the domestic economy.
According to the deputy government spokesperson on Thursday, the government would introduce the implementation of a dual-tariff condition in which foreign visitors may be charged rates similar to the pre-pandemic period while local tourists may continue to pay at current discounted rates.
President of the Thai Hotels Association, Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, stated that the dual-pricing idea was “impractical” as hotel room rates always shift constantly based on market conditions. Moreover, each hotel of each star-rates also uses different strategies to set prices.
“What the government could do was to jointly cooperate and discuss with the association to conduct domestic campaigns and offer special prices for Thai tourists,” she suggested.
Charintip Tiyaphorn, president of the Tourism Council of Krabi, added the idea could cause a negative perception of Thai tourism image because everyone, despite nationalities, needs to be treated equally as a customer.
He stressed: “Every customer should be treated fairly and equally. Clear communication is also crucial as this is a sensitive subject that could damage the reputation of Thailand’s tourism industries and hoteliers.”
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