Forward bookings dip amid border row

Foreign forward bookings for Thailand have started to feel the pinch due to the Thai-Cambodian border tensions, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), while Chanthaburi tourism operators reported cancellations from foreign tourists for the remainder of the year.

- MOLPASORN SHOOWONG

Tourism operators urged the government to offer relief measures for affected businesses in the seven border provinces, such as tax reductions.

While the border dispute eased following a meeting of the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee in Malaysia, the tourism outlook in the border provinces remains uncertain.

TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said data from ForwardKeys, an air traffic data company, showed forward bookings for flights in August slowed due to the border skirmishes.

As of July 29, bookings for August were down 2.7% year-on-year from 675,551 bookings during the corresponding period in 2024.

On July 21, before the border clashes, bookings for August indicated a 0.4% uptick to 564,281.

Regarding domestic tourism, she said the 300,000 privileges for major tourism cities under the co-payment scheme were fully redeemed.