A month of flooding in the North has led to a dire low season in Chiang Mai this year, as tourists cancel plans and avoid the whole region, according to the Tourism Council of Chiang Mai.

This week, the Ping River reached levels not seen since 2011, overflowing into downtown Chiang Mai, including the heart of the business and tourism areas.

Other affected areas include the outer district of Mae Rim, which is known for natural parks and adventure tourism activities, where attractions were temporarily closed, the council said.

A series of floods in northern Thailand since the beginning of September, particularly in Chiang Rai, has dented tourism sentiment for Chiang Mai this month, the council said.

As a result, Chiang Mai tourism growth for the year remains flat compared with 2023.

With the province reliant on domestic travel, a majority of Thais remain hesitant to travel due to high domestic airfares and limited budgets, mainly due to economic concerns.

Chiang Mai already lost months of tourism revenue during the smog season in early 2024.