Thailand’s Songkran festival is drawing increasing numbers of international visitors, with overseas guests making up 86% of scheduled hotel check-ins between 10-17 April, according to data from SiteMinder. This marks a 15% point increase compared to last year’s figures.
The festival’s growing international appeal has led to a significant rise in hotel bookings across Thailand. Koh Samui saw a 65% increase in bookings year-on-year, Chiang Mai experienced a 41% rise, and Bangkok saw a 20% increase.
Bookings for Songkran are also being made further in advance. Hotels in Koh Samui recorded the longest average booking lead time at 109 days, up 33% from 82 days last year. In Phuket, the booking window increased by 33%, from 76 to 100 days, while Bangkok’s lead time grew by 17%, from 69 to 81 days.
The average length of stay during Songkran has also increased by 7.3%, from 2.41 nights to 2.59 nights. In Koh Samui, where guests tend to stay the longest, the average stay increased by 1.5%, from 3.74 to 3.80 nights.
Despite the rise in bookings, hotel room rates across Thailand have slightly dropped by 2.3% year-on-year, with the national average falling from US$199 to US$194. However, hotels in Koh Samui and Phuket saw a rise in average daily rates, increasing by 38.0% to US$327 and 8.1% to US$174 respectively.