Hotel Stocks in 2025: 8 Picks Worth Your Attention

After years of pandemic recovery and shifting travel behavior, the hospitality sector is quietly becoming a solid play for long-term investors. With tourism rebounding globally and governments pushing travel incentives, hotel stocks are heating up in 2025. Let’s dig into what’s worth buying.

Thai Hotel Stocks: Recovery Phase Picks

Three Thai players stand out for different reasons:

MINT (Minor International) just reported FY2024 net profit of 7.75 billion baht—up 43.4% YoY from 5.41 billion baht. RevPAR (revenue per available room) is climbing, driven by their diverse portfolio of luxury and mid-range brands. P/E: 20.85x

CENTEL (Central Plaza Hotels) is dropping 19 billion baht over 3 years and opening 9 new properties in 2025. They’re rebranding flagship resorts into luxury offerings and expect 15 billion baht revenue by year-end (23% growth). P/E: 25.22x — pricey, but execution is solid.

AWC (Asset World Corp) owns prime-location properties and MICE (conference) hotels. Their Q1 2025 outlook looks strong on continuous tourism tailwinds and government stimulus. P/E: 16.19x — decent valuation.

Other plays: ERW (Erawan Group) has broad coverage but lower P/E at 12.67x; SHR (S Hotels) targets high-end travelers with strong balance sheets.

International Giants: If You Want Global Exposure

Marriott (MAR) at $280/share is the world’s largest chain. P/E of 32.52x reflects premium pricing, but their loyalty program and tech investments drive long-term growth.

Hilton (HLT) at $258/share runs a tight ship with strong brand power and professional management. P/E sits at 42.09x—steep, but customer satisfaction stays high.

Wyndham (WH) at $104/share is the budget/midscale play. P/E of 29.03x is reasonable if you believe in expansion into growth markets.

How to Pick a Hotel Stock

Watch these metrics:

• Occupancy Rate + ADR (Average Daily Rate) → Combined, they give you RevPAR, the real indicator of hotel health
• Debt-to-Equity → High leverage can kill returns if tourism dips
• Brand portfolio diversity → Single-brand exposure is riskier
• Geographic spread → Thailand-only operators face more COVID-like shock risk than global players

Macro factors matter:

• Tourism trends (flight bookings, visa policies)
• Currency fluctuations (especially USD strength/weakness)
• Interest rates (affect refinancing costs)
• Geopolitical risks (wars, protests, visa bans)

How Thais Can Buy These Stocks

Option 1: SET (Thai Stock Exchange) → Open an account with any broker (ทำนายสนใจ, KBank Securities, etc.). Fast, cheap, no forex risk. Limited selection though.

Option 2: Mutual Funds → Buy into hospitality-focused funds like KFGROWTH. Pros: professional management, diversification. Cons: higher fees, less control.

Option 3: CFD Trading → Trade price movements without owning shares via international brokers. Pros: leverage, trade both directions (long/short). Cons: high risk, overnight hold fees.

The Bottom Line

2025 is looking bullish for hotel stocks—tourism is back, governments are spending on travel campaigns, foreign visitors are returning. Thai players like MINT and CENTEL have momentum; international names offer scale and diversification.

But don’t sleep on risks: recession fears, geopolitical shocks, or another pandemic could crater RevPAR overnight. Do your homework—check quarterly earnings, RevPAR trends, debt levels. Diversify across valuations (cheap ERW vs. premium CENTEL). And set stop-losses if you’re playing CFDs.

Start with one stock you understand, not five.