Deputy Government Spokesperson Karom Polpornklang announced that the Cabinet approved the draft law to extend the annual hotel business fee waiver of 40 baht per room for two years, from July 1st of this year to the end of June of 2026. This extension, proposed by the Ministry of Interior, aims to support hotel operators by reducing their expenses during the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Karom stated that the fee waiver will result in an annual revenue loss of approximately 27 million baht, based on the estimated 677,500 hotel rooms in 2024. However, this measure is intended to provide relief and reduce financial burdens for hotel operators who have not yet fully recovered from the pandemic’s impact.
The tourism sector saw a significant drop in international arrivals due to COVID-19. In 2019, tourism contributed about 11.5% to Thailand’s GDP, with nearly 40 million visitors. However, the pandemic reduced this number drastically, with only 7.16 million tourists arriving in the first 10 months of 2022.
The decline triggered the government to implement assistance measures to support the hospitality industry, including fee waivers and other promotional campaigns. (NNT)
