Hotels are reluctant to join the Quarantine Scheme after bookings slow

Hoteliers are delaying their decisions about whether to enter the alternative state quarantine (ASQ) program as bookings have been slowed down by the emergence of new local cases. 

The president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, said that operators are likely to wait for the distribution of vaccinations globally, which could lead to an easing of the quarantine requirements for Covid-19 inoculated visitors. 

A mandatory quarantine rule is likely to be maintained throughout the year in Thailand, but demand is difficult to predict, said Mrs Marisa.

She said that some of Phuket's alternative local quarantine (ALQ) hotels are considering whether to continue the program as international flights and tourists are still scarce, while a new increase in local infections has led to a deterioration in travel sentiment. 

For hotels that wish to withdraw from the program, the Public Health Ministry has still not provided any concrete guidelines. 

However, if demand returns as certified hotels have already invested a great deal in securing the certification, THA would like the ministry to allow hotels to reactivate their ASQ or ALQ status. 

Prin Pathanatham, president of ASQ-ALQ Club Thailand, said that due to the recent wave of new infections, the overall occupancy rate for ASQ hotels this month recorded a 30 per cent drop to 6,000-7,000 rooms per day from its high of 9,500 rooms in December. 

With a 30-40 per cent drop in forwarding bookings, the tepid response is expected to continue through February. 

Mr Prin said that due to uncertainties about interprovincial travel, foreigners have postponed their plans, while many countries are imposing new lockdowns that have affected the number of active flights.

The club has 122 members, with a total of 17,000 rooms, categorized as ASQ hotels. 
"Even though vaccines are being developed, ASQ hotels remain vital, at least until the end of this year," he said. "But services will change once members of the public become inoculated." 

Possible scenarios include offering a service to people who are receiving the first dose of a vaccine and want to monitor the situation before receiving the second dose, or offering a service on a short business trip to travellers visiting the country who may want to choose an ASQ hotel, Mr Prin said.

As long as there are uncertainties about the effectiveness of vaccines, the need for quarantine will remain, he added. 

However, once quarantine is not compulsory and international flights resume, hotels may consider switching back to their normal operations, said Nattakorn Arunanondchai, managing director of Siam Mandarina Hotel, Bangkok's ASQ facility.