Global travel interest to Thailand has decreased by an average of 26 per cent following

the military takeover on Thursday 22nd May, according to hotel search website trivago.co.uk . When the week preceding the coup (15th to 21st May) was compared to the week following the takeover (22nd to 29th May), it was found that hotel searches to the whole of Thailand decreased by 26 per cent. Travel interest from UK users specifically decreased by 24 per cent.

Countries experiencing the largest decreases in hotel searches to Thailand are Spain

(52 per cent), Portugal (51 per cent), Turkey (48 per cent), Canada (44 per cent) and the USA (43 per cent).

At the same time, hotel searches to nearby countries such as Cambodia, Vietnam and

Indonesia have increased. Countries with the most significant increase in travel interest to alternative destinations are Spain (up 26 per cent), Ireland (up 22 per cent), Sweden (also up 22 per cent) and Poland (up 21 per cent).

In the UK, searches to Indonesia have increased by 18 per cent since the coup,

although there is no significant increase to Cambodia or Vietnam.

While travel interest to Thailand has declined, hotel prices have simultaneously

decreased across the country. One night in June 2014 will cost an average of £50, in comparison to £59 in June 2013. Destinations popular among UK visitors with significant price decreases are Patong Beach (down 16 per cent to an average of £42), Pattaya (down 15 per cent to £41) and Bangkok (also down 15 per cent to £45).

Denise Bartlett, Public Relations UK: "It is unfortunate to see a country that

relies so heavily on tourism experience a sharp decline in hotel searches over a short period of time. With a curfew currently in place between midnight and 4am, there has already been much speculation as to whether Thailand can recover from what is the nation's 19th military coup in 82 years.

Thailand has always been a popular tourist destination for UK travellers and it will be

interesting to see if travel interest to nearby countries increases in the future. With the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advising against all but essential travel to some provinces of Thailand and searches to Indonesia already up by 18 per cent, it seems that UK travellers are looking for alternative destinations.

Although the year-on-year decrease in hotel prices cannot be attributed to the coup, it is

common to see hotel prices drop in countries with military or civil unrest. With the FCO advising against travel to Thailand, it is likely hoteliers and travel agents are trying to prevent a huge decline in tourism following the takeover."

Global travel interest is based on the following trivago country platforms: Austria,

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK and USA.

Denise Bartlett
Public Relations UK
+44 (0) 2034 552 189
trivago