"Chinese Tourists Not Coming"... Southeast Asia '5-Star' Hotels Launch Tearful Unprecedented Sales

Luxury hotels in Southeast Asia, which have seen a halt in Chinese tourists, are offering dramatic sales. The photo is unrelated to the article content. Photo by Pixabay

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] Luxury hotels in Southeast Asia are offering unprecedented discounts targeting foreign tourists from the U.S. and other countries.

According to the New York Times (NYT) on the 25th (local time), in Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, where tourism plays a significant role, hotels and restaurants are making efforts to fill the gap left by the decline in Chinese tourists due to lockdown measures.

Recently, as the global spread of COVID-19 has subsided, many Southeast Asian countries have significantly eased quarantine requirements and other health regulations upon entry.

However, tourism demand has not met expectations because the largest customer base for Southeast Asian tourism, Chinese tourists, have stopped visiting.

The NYT cited Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, as an example, reporting that "planes are lined up on unused runways, and even the operational runways are empty."

However, this situation has turned into a "golden opportunity" for foreigners such as Americans. Southeast Asia’s luxury tourism facilities have launched various promotional offers to attract customers, and with the continued strength of the dollar, this has become an unprecedented opportunity for tourism.

For example, the 5-star Pullman Bangkok Hotel in Bangkok can be booked for about 100,000 KRW per night (Deluxe Double, mid-July basis) according to the hotel price comparison app Skyscanner.

According to the NYT report, Singapore’s representative luxury hotel, Marina Bay Sands, has also offered special room deals.

However, airfare prices remain high due to the global rise in oil prices.

Last month, round-trip tickets from Los Angeles and New York to Bangkok, Thailand, were under $1,000 (approximately 1.3 million KRW). Recently, however, prices have soared to over $2,000, more than doubling.