Surasak pushes "Value over Volume" for Thai tourism

Thairath•Politics•20d ago

Reader Briefing

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Pancharoenworakul urges hotel operators to adopt technology and "Hotel Economics" to prioritize value over volume.

•Minister Surasak Pancharoenworakul announced a new direction for Thai tourism on September 2, 2026.
•The announcement took place at the Hotel Economic Forum 2026 at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang.
•The proposed strategy focuses on "Earn More – Work Smarter – Cost Less" to increase international competitiveness.

Overview

•On September 2, 2026, Surasak Pancharoenworakul delivered a special lecture at the Hotel Economic Forum 2026.
•In 2025, Thailand welcomed nearly 33 million foreign tourists, generating 2.7 trillion baht in revenue.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul noted that while average occupancy reached 71%, the average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) decreased by approximately 3%.
•The number of hotels increased by nearly 30% compared to the pre-COVID period.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul proposed the "Earn More" goal using Big Data, AI, and Revenue Management to sell rooms to the right people at the right time and price.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul proposed the "Work Smarter" goal by using automation for repetitive tasks to allow staff to focus on hospitality.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul proposed the "Cost Less" goal through energy management and food waste reduction, framing Green Hotels as economics rather than just CSR.
•Surasak Pancharoenworakul stated that Thai hotels compete with options worldwide, not just local competitors.

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Key Quotes

Surasak Pancharoenworakul

"Full rooms do not mean maximum profit."

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Key Entities

Person

Surasak Pancharoenworakul(สุรศักดิ์ พันธ์เจริญวรกุล)

Minister of Tourism and Sports who announced the new direction for the Thai tourism industry.

Organization

Ministry of Tourism and Sports(กระทรวงการท่องเที่ยวและกีฬา)ℹ️

The government ministry headed by Surasak Pancharoenworakul.

King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang(สถาบันเทคโนโลยีพระจอมเกล้าเจ้าคุณทหารลาดกระบัง)ℹ️

The venue where the Hotel Economic Forum 2026 was held.