He highlights how innovation, sustainability, and strong leadership are key to long-term resilience.
Amidst intensifying competition and evolving traveller demands in Thailand’s hospitality sector, industry leaders are leaning on strategic foresight, adaptability, and a commitment to innovation.
Offering valuable insights is Jon Cannon, Senior Vice President – Hotel Asset Management for Thailand and Vietnam at JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group. With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, his career has taken him from the United Kingdom to Australia, before establishing a strong presence in Thailand through senior leadership roles across Bangkok, Phuket, and Samui.
In his current role, Cannon oversees a diverse portfolio of hotels across Thailand and Vietnam, managing projects that span pre-opening operations, budget reviews, strategic planning, food and beverage initiatives, and regional initiatives. Beyond his role at JLL, he also serves as Vice President on the Board of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and contributes as a guest lecturer at industry events and Universities in Thailand and Vietnam.
As a judge at the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Thailand, Cannon highlights Thailand’s current market positioning, the sector’s response to emerging trends, and the importance of cultivating leadership and sustainability, shaping the future of hospitality in the region.
Given your extensive experience across multiple regions, how would you assess Thailand’s current positioning in the regional travel and hospitality market?
2025 is turning out to be more challenging than many forecasted, despite the strong recovery we saw in 2024. Thailand’s tourism sector is feeling the strain from a mix of factors: safety concerns amongst Chinese travellers, geopolitical tensions that are disrupting air routes and extending travel times, and whilst ticket prices have moderated, tariffs and cost-of-living pressures in key source markets are reducing discretionary spend. Domestically, tighter household budgets in Thailand are also weighing on hotel and F&B revenues.
When comparing the landscape to Vietnam, Thailand’s well-established brand and mature infrastructure remain clear advantages, offering reliability and depth of experience that newer markets can’t yet match. However, Vietnam is capitalising on its fresh appeal and rapid growth, attracting investment and visitors hungry for emerging destinations, which puts added pressure on Thailand to keep evolving.
All of this underscores the need for Thailand to pivot from reactive discounting towards more proactive strategies focused on diversification and experience-driven value. It’s about building resilience to external shocks whilst doubling down on what makes Thailand uniquely attractive.
With shifting traveller behaviours and rising competition across Southeast Asia, what strategic approaches are Thai hospitality companies adopting to differentiate themselves and capture new demand?
We’re seeing a clear pivot towards wellness and holistic lifestyle offerings as younger travellers move away from traditional, price-driven choices. The new generation of guests is willing to pay a premium for experiences that align with their values, whether that’s wellness retreats, hyper-local immersion, or boutique stays with a story. Thai operators are investing more in design-led properties, robust wellness programming, and personalised guest journeys to meet these expectations. At the same time, there’s smarter segmentation of markets and more agile digital engagement to attract and retain diverse demographics. This blend of tailoring experiences and embracing evolving consumer mindsets is how Thailand stays ahead.
How can hospitality companies in Thailand integrate sustainability into their long-term business models whilst balancing guest expectations and demands?
Sustainability has moved beyond a ‘nice to have’—it’s becoming a critical part of corporate RFPs, influencing where major accounts book their stays. ESG metrics tied to waste, water, and energy use are now standard discussion points, both for operators and owners, and increasingly demanded by wholesalers too. Thai hotels must build robust data-driven reporting into their operations and transparently communicate these efforts to guests and partners. The goal is to make sustainability seamless to the guest experience, enhancing rather than compromising it. Those who embed ESG at the core of their strategy will not only meet rising expectations but also gain a commercial edge.
What leadership qualities are the most important for hospitality executives navigating Thailand’s current economic and competitive landscape?
It remains a people-first industry, but leaders today must also adapt to diverse generational learning styles and the reality that teams are advancing through roles more rapidly, which impacts turnover. Modern hospitality executives need to be mentors who can balance rapid development paths with sustained culture-building. Adaptability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to cultivate innovation are key, as is financial acumen in this margin-sensitive environment. It’s about inspiring teams whilst ensuring they’re equipped to deliver exceptional guest experiences in a landscape that’s evolving at an unprecedented speed.
Looking ahead, what significant shifts do you foresee in Thailand’s travel and hospitality sector in the coming years, and how should companies position themselves to remain competitive and relevant?
AI will be transformative — not by replacing people, but by automating routine tasks and unlocking more time for staff to engage meaningfully with guests. Combined with digital personalisation and continued diversification into secondary destinations, it will redefine service delivery. Sustainability and authentic local immersion will also deepen as core drivers of travel decisions. To stay competitive, Thai operators should embrace technology to boost efficiency and tailor experiences, whilst doubling down on what makes Thai hospitality special: genuine human connection. This combination of tech and heart is where the future lies.
As a returning judge for the TDM Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2025 - Thailand, what criteria will you be using when evaluating this year's nominees?
I’ll be looking for submissions that are genuinely bespoke, not simply tick-box answers or generic templates. Innovation, measurable impact, and a clear commitment to people, sustainability, and guest experience will weigh heavily. Given the rapidly changing landscape, I’ll also value how nominees demonstrate agility and a forward-thinking mindset. It’s about finding initiatives that not only excel today but set benchmarks for the industry tomorrow. Ultimately, the strongest entries will be those that feel tailored, thoughtful, and authentically driven by passion for excellence.
