Koh Samui hotel market update: Poised for further growth

According to a report by 4hoteliers.com, and based on information from JLL’s Hotel & Hospitality Group the demands for hotel rooms in Samui will slow over the next three years and the short stay Asian market will improve on the island. The report also suggests that Chinese, Russian and Indian visitors will be the strongest growth market.
Demand:

Growing prominence of Surat Thani airport as a secondary gateway to Samui, in addition to the existing airport, has helped fuel demand.

• Visitor arrivals to Samui Airport in 2013 increased by 14.5% over 2012 to 1.5 million.
• Average length of stay in Samui has been declining as a result of growing prominence of short-stay visitors from the region.

Supply

• According to the Department of Tourism, there are 20,047 hotel rooms in Samui as at 2013 year-end.
• The large increase of high-end resorts during the past three years has repositioned the island as a luxury resort

Trading Performance

• Current political demonstrations in Bangkok have had a minimal impact on hotel trading performances.
• Occupancy in 2013 reached a record of 73% growing by about 5% over 2012.
• ADR declined from 2008 through 2012 before recording subpar growth of 1% in 2013 to THB 3,940. RevPAR growth of 8.9% to THB 2,870 in 2013 was largely occupancy driven.

Outlook

• The supply pipeline for Samui is slowing over the next three years and is largely concentrated in the midscale to upscale segments.
• Demand fundamentals remain healthy going forward and we anticipate continued emergence of short-stay demand from key Asian source markets.
• We expect China, Russia and India visitor markets to be the strongest growth markets in the medium term.

The News

New Additions during 2013 to Q1 2014

• Vana Belle, A Luxury Collection Resort, 79 keys
• KC Beach Club Hotel & Pool Villas, 42 keys
• Escape Beach Resort, 69 keys
• Ozo Chaweng Samui, 210 keys, Q1 201

Major Renovations

• Anantara Bphut Koh Samui Resort & Spa, 106 keys (Reopened in Nov 2013 after seven months of extensive renovations)

Notable Hotel Transactions

• Buddy Oriental Samui Beach Resort, 133 keys in November 2013 (Price: Confidential)

Hotel Currently for Sale by JLL

• Bhundari Spa Resort & Villas, 126 keys

About JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group
JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group serves as the hospitality industry’s global leader in real estate services for luxury, upscale, select service and budget hotels; timeshare and fractional ownership properties; convention centers; mixed-use developments and other hospitality properties. The firm’s 300 dedicated hotel and hospitality experts partner with investors and owner/operators around the globe to support and shape investment strategies that deliver maximum value throughout the entire lifecycle of an asset.

For inquiries, contact: www.ap.jll.com

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