Bangkok (Thailand) – January 26, 2016 (travelindex.com) – Thailand’s hospitality industry reached new highs in 2015, experiencing its best year in over two decades, according to a study presented exclusively by leading research institute STR Global at the Thailand Tourism Forum 2016 at the InterContinental Bangkok.

Thailand closed the year with an overall occupancy rate of 73.4%, a 13.6% increase compared to 2014. Arrivals reached almost 30 million, driven by demand from mainland China. December was a particularly strong month with an occupancy rate of 77.4%, the highest since 1995.

Organized by C9 Hotelworks in collaboration with the Thai-American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and with the support of the InterContinental Hotel Group, the Thailand Tourism Forum has become an important platform for tourism news and discussions in its fifth year, attracting over 500 registered delegates this year.

Among the most important announcements was the presentation of the expansion plans of the global hotel chain InterContinental Hotel Group for its Hotel Indigo brand in Phuket, following its market launch in Bangkok last year, as well as for Southeast Asia.

“We are very pleased to expand our boutique hotel brand Hotel Indigo following its successful debut in Bangkok with the Hotel Indigo Bangkok Wireless Road in 2015. In Thailand, we plan to open the 180-room Hotel Indigo Phuket Patong in 2018 together with our partner Kebsup Group Company Limited,” said Clarence Tan, Senior Vice President, Development, IHG Asia, Middle East & Africa.

"This year the brand continues to expand in Southeast Asia with the opening of Hotel Indigo Katong in Singapore and Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak – both distinctive, stylish hotels with a vibrant design inspired by their respective surroundings."

The hotel investor community was well represented, led by keynote speaker Kenneth Gaw, President and Managing Partner of Gaw Capital Partners, whose company manages over $10 billion in assets under management (AUM) worldwide in the hospitality and real estate sectors.

Gaw Capital Partners' Thai holdings include Dusit Thani PLC, Pullman G Hotels in Bangkok and Pattaya, and Pioneer Global Group's Park Hyatt Phuket, currently under construction. Gaw Capital Partners also recently renovated Myanmar's iconic Strand Hotel Yangon, a long-time owner of the firm and originally built by the Sarkis brothers, creators of the Raffles Hotel. This underscores Thailand's importance as a tourism hub within the ASEAN economic community.

“Thailand remains one of our preferred options for hotel investments, as it is among the most attractive destinations in the region,” said Mr. Gaw. “Operating costs are relatively low and there are a wide variety of opportunities.”

“Thailand will remain the preferred travel destination for ASEAN and all Asian markets in the coming years, and we want to continue growing and participating in that. However, there is the possibility of even greater potential if the country can achieve long-term political stability and ease restrictions on foreign ownership.”

Thailand's unique position within ASEAN, the upcoming milestone of 30 million annual arrivals, the Chinese market with its economic problems and the so-called "new normal" – a time of almost continuous disruption and challenges for the destination – were discussed, as was the future of the hospitality industry in Thailand.

Bill Barnett, CEO of C9 Hotelworks, said: “I think everyone can feel the sense of optimism. There’s a palpable excitement in the industry, coupled with uncertainty about what the future holds. The market environment is very dynamic, as Thailand is just beginning to figure out what life after 30 should look like.”

"One thing is certain: Thailand clearly has the most dynamic tourism industry in the region. The country is attracting investment and positioning itself as the tourism hub of the ASEAN Economic Community. This will become a key issue throughout the year, as Thailand will lead the region's tourism development."

Other notable speakers included executives from Minor Hotels, InterContinental, Accor, Centara, and Onyx, as well as recognized experts from Horwath HTL, JLL Hotels, STR Global, Vanguard Hotels, and QUO. The full program can be found here: