Hotel operators on the eastern islands -- led by Koh Samet -- face an additional constraint from the imposition of travel restrictions, dimming faint hopes for the long Labour Day weekend.
Before an official order to close hotels, only 30% of 140 hotels remained open. Hoteliers expected all available rooms to be fully booked from May 1-4, as they were during the Songkran holiday period, said Sarinthip Tupmongkholsup, president of Tourism Association of Koh Samet.
The governor of Rayong ordered hotels and restaurants on Koh Samet to temporarily close for a period of 14 days, from April 27 until May 10, to contain the spread of Covid-19 on the island.
She said after the island detected more than 10 Covid-19 cases among non-residents during Songkran, operators agreed with the governor's announcement, paving the way for a major cleaning operation and an active effort to locate other cases within the community.
In the meantime, the Social Security Fund can help support 50% of the daily minimum wage for workers.
"Even though operators lose the opportunity to welcome tourists, we have to prioritise safety to ensure Koh Samet is a safe destination," said Ms Sarinthip.
However, the government should offer accessible soft loans to support operators as tourism on the island was affected not only by the three waves of the pandemic, but also the infected Egyptian soldier who visited Rayong in July 2020, she said.
Ms Sarinthip said the fresh outbreak and slow pace of vaccination has shattered confidence in the country's reopening timeline for international tourists, who represented 70% of the market on Koh Samet prior to the pandemic.
Wichit Sukasuyanon, president of Trat Tourism Association, said more than 80% of weekend bookings have been cancelled because of tighter travel restrictions and health concerns over the virus.
Tourists are required to show Covid-19-free certificates issued no longer than 72 hours before entry into the province.
Even if Koh Kood could reopen to tourists, sentiment in the province has already weakened and operators cannot predict when domestic tourism will rebound, he said.
The governor of Trat ordered Koh Kood to be temporarily closed from April 23 to May 1.
With people likely to stay home during the upcoming long weekend, the government should consider postponing the holiday or adding a special public holiday once the situation improves to generate momentum for domestic tourism, said Mr Wichit.
"A mass vaccination rollout is the ultimate way to solve the problem, instead of closing the island every time new cases emerge, which means we cannot operate our businesses," he said.