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Koh Samui air arrivals up 9% in early 2025, C9 report says
· Luxy Samui
A C9 Hotelworks review shows more flights, more cruise calls and higher hotel rates on Koh Samui in early 2025.
Koh Samui started 2025 with more visitors than a year earlier. A market review by the hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks, released in June 2025, counts 1,127,832 passenger arrivals at the island's airport from January to April. That is 9% more than in the same four months of 2024.
The numbers behind the growth
The report builds on a strong 2024. According to C9 Hotelworks, air arrivals reached 2.78 million that year, a rise of 21% that took the island above its 2019 level, before the pandemic.
Hotels felt the difference. The review gives these figures:
- Hotel occupancy rose 12% in 2024 compared with 2023, and was up a further 8% in January 2025.
- The average daily room rate rose 9% in 2024. In April 2025 it was 21% higher than in April 2024.
- 35 cruise ships called in the first four months of 2025, carrying 65,792 passengers, 6% more than a year before. In all of 2024 the island received 50 cruise liners.
Who is coming
Europe is the main source of visitors. The report says 56% of arrivals in 2024 came from Europe, with Germany, the United Kingdom and France as the three leading countries. C9 Hotelworks also points to Bangkok Airways' codeshare agreements with about 30 international airlines, which make it easier to connect to the island from long-haul flights.
The consultancy's managing director, Bill Barnett, describes a growing group of wellness travellers who come all year round and tend to stay longer. Hotel managers quoted in the report say long-haul markets performed well and that demand came from both traditional and newer markets.
Supply is growing slowly
One detail matters for anyone who rents out property. The review counts 634 registered accommodation providers on the island with 24,188 rooms in total. Over five years, supply grew by only about 1% a year. Demand has therefore grown faster than the number of rooms.
The report listed a small pipeline of new hotels: Nivata Koh Samui, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, which was then expected in late 2025, followed by SO/ by Sofitel and Fivelements Samui in 2026. Opening dates for hotels often move. Hilton's own website now takes bookings for Nivata from December 2026.
At the time, the consultancy expected demand from Europe and Asia to support further growth for the rest of 2025.
What it means for villa owners
The review covers hotels, not private villas, so its figures cannot be applied directly to a rental villa. But the direction is useful. More passengers, a strong European market and slow growth in rooms all point to steady demand for quality places to stay. Longer stays and wellness travel also suit homes with space, privacy and a kitchen. Owners who want to benefit need good photos, clear pricing by season and reliable service on the ground. Our team handles this work every day as part of our villa management in Koh Samui.
