Popular Thai Beaches Pricier Than European Resorts: It’s Not Just About the Higher Baht
Photo Credit: Avani+ in Koh Samui. Minor Hotels Thailand
Skift Take
It’s easy to blame the baht as the butt of the problem for a decline in European arrivals to Thailand. The issues, however, are wider and deeper than just currency appreciation.
The cost of a holiday in popular beach resorts in Thailand is now on par with or higher than those in Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Egypt, which are closer to home for Europeans.
The cost of a five-star resort in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Samed has reached around $500 per room per night including American breakfast. This is similar to the cost of a five-star beach resort in Greece, Italy and Spain, and dearer than a comparable property in Turkey or Egypt, which costs $350 a night, according to Diethelm Travel Group.
It is even pricier than a mountain resort in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, which is $450 a room in the summer July/August high season for Europeans.
Diethelm, one of Thailand’s oldest and largest inbound specialists, does regular price benchmarking and shares the latest figures with Skift.
Prices for four-star Thai beach hotels also show a similar pattern: They cost around $350, as do counterparts in Greece/Italy/Spain, and are higher than the $2
