The abrupt announcement of an extra holiday this weekend will benefit domestic tourism within the same region, but most would-be tourists would still prefer to keep their savings rather than travel.
The cabinet this week approved July 31 as an extra holiday, creating a six-day long holiday from Friday until Aug 2.
Boonkerd Suksrikarn, vice-president of the Eastern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said most four- to five-star hotels in Pattaya and Chon Buri had already secured an occupancy rate of over 90% this weekend even before the announcement was made.
Even though the extra-long holiday was appropriate for overseas trips, guests who had made bookings did not cancel their trips to Pattaya, and some of them may use the extended vacation period to travel to other provinces nearby, such as Rayong, Chanthaburi or Trat.
He said the average hotel occupancy rate in Chon Buri is expected to close at 60-65% in July and August, due to the low season for long-haul tourists, limited flights, school openings and the rainy season. This prediction is below the rate of 70-80% posted in the corresponding period of 2019.
Some hotels are still awaiting large tour groups from China and Vietnam, along with meetings and seminars from public agencies which would face obstructions if the new government was not established soon.
Mr Boonkerd said hotel operators were concerned that domestic consumption, especially for tourism, might be stagnant due to the political uncertainty. People would prefer to save their money for unexpected circumstances, he said.
Many hotels also want the stimulus campaign for domestic tourists to continue once the new government begins its work.
Kantapong Thananerngroth, president of the Thai Tourism Promotion Association, said those travelling during this long weekend are tourists unfazed by the high cost of living or who have no debt.
People with a limited budget have already skipped their travel plans to save money for other necessary living costs.
However, as the cost of transportation remains expensive, Mr Kantapong said travellers might opt to visit nearby destinations
For example, residents of Bangkok or the Central region might choose to visit Wang Nam Khieo or Khao Yai, or perhaps Chon Buri or Rayong.
Despite the longer holiday, Mr Kantapong said tourists might not stay for longer than four nights.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said destinations within a distance of roughly 200 kilometres would benefit from the extra day off.