Outdoor tourism attractions have been hampered by the unrelenting heat as tourists stay indoors, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is preparing to promote early morning and evening tourism to stabilise the market.
Wuthichai Luangamornlert, chief executive of Siam Park City Group, the operator of Siam Amazing Park, said the extreme hot weather has kept people from taking part in outdoor activities, leading to 5-10% less traffic at its water park this week.
Guest spending declined by 10%, attributed to lower confidence in the economy and a spike in living costs, especially electricity bills, said Mr Wuthichai.
He said the market has been weak following the Chinese New Year holiday as the average temperature rapidly climbed.
During Songkran, guest traffic at the park was 10% lower year-on-year.
"Local tourists tightened their budget for food and beverage while travelling. We saw more locals opting for air-conditioned shopping malls during weekends instead of visiting our water park as the weather is too hot to stay outdoors during the daytime," said Mr Wuthichai.
He said the market is challenging for tourism operators as their costs have risen 10-20% since the beginning of the year, mostly attributed to energy and labour costs.
Siam Amazing Park has adapted by using solar power, said Mr Wuthichai, who is also chairman of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
"Not all tourism operators have sufficient funds to survive this market dip. Many of them cannot access bank loans. With the high season and school break already ended, some tourism operators might struggle with high interest rates if their income stagnates," he said.
Somradee Chitchong, deputy governor for domestic marketing at TAT, said the agency will shift its focus on promotional campaigns to early morning and nighttime tourism to avoid the severe heat during the daytime.
Ms Somradee said the scorching weather has discouraged Thais from travelling, especially seniors.
Many avoid outdoor venues, such as temples, and opt for indoor activities or tourism sites with cool air, such as waterfalls.
Some travellers preferred to stay in hotels and enjoy in-house activities instead of going out, she said.
To stimulate income for local operators who are losing revenue because of the weather, the TAT plans to promote more suitable activities for the morning, evening and nighttime, such as running, boat paddling or stargazing.
Ms Somradee said the TAT also plans to improve the market during the rainy season, particularly in the North and Northeast, to compensate for losses as PM2.5 toxic haze lingered longer than expected in these areas.