Phuket gives Thailand a boost

STRONG demand for Phuket has been driving Thailand's tourism revival. Passenger traffic through Phuket International Airport shot up by 28 per cent in the first half of 2010 as compared to 2009's figure.

18/08/2010 16:48

The swift recovery hinted to a return to the boom year of 2007. According to C9 Hotelworks' Phuket Market Update, higher hotel occupancies and a "game-changing" shift in tourist profile are driving growth.

Statistics showed that 2009 arrivals registered a 1.74 million jump, reflecting a volume similar to that of 2007's figure when comparing year-on-year data for the past five years.

C9 Hotelworks's managing director Bill Barnett said: "Market dynamics are evolving with a game-changing shift in tourist profile from a historical Eurocentric dependence on longhaul European visitors to shorthaul Asian travellers."

He noted that the trend was driven by a weakening euro and pound sterling, which have affected market sentiments and changed travel preferences to the resort island.

Bill Heinecke, chairman and CEO of Minor Group International, was bullish about prospects for Phuket's hospitality industry. "The latter part of this year's third quarter is seeing positive pick-up in the market, which is a good sign given that it is traditionally low season on the island."

(Sources: Thailand, TTGAsia)

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