Hotel occupancy in Pattaya fell slightly in March, and 20% of all accommodations remain closed, an industry association said.
A survey by the Thai Hotels Association found a nationwide occupancy rate of 33%, down a point from February.
April’s numbers are expected to improve, due to a slight relaxation of tourist-entry rules, Songkran and the government’s latest subsidized tourism campaign for Thais.
Foreign tourists made up only 35% of hotel guests, most of them from Europe.
THA Eastern Chapter President Phisut Sae-khu warned that, unless the government do away with the Thailand Pass, Test & Go and Sandbox schemes, foreigners will simply choose to go elsewhere, including Thailand’s neighbors, which either have removed all restrictions or retained much less complex and expensive rules.