BANGKOK, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chiang Mai's hotel room occupancy is likely to drop to about 60 percent throughout this year, according to a hotelier of Thailand's northern tourist province.
La-iad Bungsrithong, chief of the Thai Hotels Association's Northern Chapter, said on Monday that the room occupancy in all districts of Chiang Mai is believed to drop to as low as 60 percent throughout this year, compared to 75 percent last year.
The northern tourist province currently has an estimated 60,000 hotel rooms.
Some 8.08 million tourists have visited Chiang Mai during this year's first 10 months, accounting for a 1.14 percent drop from the same period last year.
Nevertheless, Chiang Mai's decreased occupancy is expected to fairly rebound during the first quarter of 2020, given MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events to be organized for government personnel as well as corporate employees, La-iad said.
The sluggish tourism of Chiang Mai is largely attributed to the strengthened baht, prompting foreign tourists to go elsewhere, she said.