What Happened The High Season?

[andy capp]

Hi all,is it just me or does Samui seem very quiet for this time of year??I was in Chewang two nights ago and it was very quiet as was Lamai last night.A mate of mine arrived in yesterday and said all the flights were full,so wheres all the people hiding?I hear Phuket and Pattaya ar busy as hel_l,any opinions folks??

[sbk]

Interestingly enough, some return customers of ours emailed us a few days ago wondering if everything here was ok. They had been told, by people in Krabi and Phi Phi, that the waves over here were very large, the boats weren't running and some boats had sunk.

Of course, the big waves were several weeks ago but whats to stop a few people from making things up to benefit their business?

[andy capp]

Hello Sbk,ive also heard from people arriving at Bangkok airport that TAT officials are telling them Samui is full and there are no rooms available and suggesting they go to Phuket instead.

[adaminsamui]

It seems they are different tourist this high season, more family. And with families they tend not to venture out of there hotels at night, hense that is why it is queit at night time, i do know those all the hotels are full!

[Mid]

###### , didn't some suit just say phuket was full also ..................................

[Mid]

It seems they are different tourist this high season, more family. And with families they tend not to venture out of there hotels at night, hense that is why it is queit at night time, i do know those all the hotels are full!

welcome to the age of the quality tourist and the end of the trickle down effect .

[SamuiJens]

Hello Sbk,ive also heard from people arriving at Bangkok airport that TAT officials are telling them Samui is full and there are no rooms available and suggesting they go to Phuket instead.

IMHO, I think it's to get the business going strong on Phuket, since there are many new resorts. After the Tsunami there wasn't that many tourists, a lot came to Samui, etc. But now it's business as usual.

I was in Phuket in 2003, and all were saying that Samui no good, rain all time, and expensive and Phuket best!

This isn't good for the business on Samui, but I enjoy the quiet!

Edited January 18, 2007 by SamuiJens

[Rooo]

Hello Sbk,ive also heard from people arriving at Bangkok airport that TAT officials are telling them Samui is full and there are no rooms available and suggesting they go to Phuket instead.

I doubt if that would affect many people,as most I would presume have Pre Booked accomodation.Many factors as mentioned before, such as tourist demographics are changing,high season on Samui is split over a few months & not just one certain period,back to PRE Tsunami level & last but not least the great package deals they are offering at Phuket.

I for one am not worried,enjoy the quiet too.It is now survival of the fittest,over-capitalisation in resorts & accomodation has to come to an end sometime.

I am sure the WISEMEN in charge of Samui Tourism will come up with a working plan to address the oversupply.

[Jet Gorgon]

What worries me are the hotel packages that include meals. That puts a big dent in the local restaurant trade and keeps visitors from wandering around. As many noted, the demographics are changing and I guess some families are scared to take kiddies out at night when pedestrians are forced to walk on the street amidst the horrendous traffic.

[khall64au]

Welcome to the world of tourism trends!

"Big waves swamp Samui"? - can't be as bad as "Tsunami wipes out Phuket" - surely!?

Have a good year!!!!!

[womble]

samui is overpriced, that is why there is less people here.

Hotels are not full, a few are, but most are not.

I think it's time samui addressed it's infrastructure problems and also start giving people value for money.

[Farma]

I noticed a larger than normal influx of tourists in the northeast over the Xmas New Year period this year. There were noticeably more tourists than I’ve seen in previous years.

Along with the usual guys with Thai wives making their annual visit to the family there were plenty of middle to older age western couples exploring off the beaten track areas.

As others have mentioned the move away from beach resorts could be due to the news headlines or tourism trends.

[highdiver]

The tourists are here and more then ever.

there are a lot more tourist this year in Samui then last year.

the reason we dont see them is that they are not "only"in chaweng and lamai. and they tend to spread out.

in the past 18 months more hotels have been open and more vacation villas are available that are located in chong moon banrak and bophud. the alternatives to the crowded traffic and noisy chaweng is now becoming more apparent. the development has brought more people but they are spread out more.

2 years ago the only popular night life venue was Chaweng, yet this year there seems to be many new clubs that are off chaweng and that are offering good music and cheper drinks with smaller more intimate locations.

I have noticed that because of higer prices the traditional back packers that are the younger age are moving to koh pangan and are not staying in samui.

[girlx]

it's deader than i have ever seen in high season in my part of koh phangan. not only that, but the type of tourists that are coming are completely different than usual (more wealthy honeymooner types who prefer to have everything available in one offering, ie. room/food/transport)... the smaller businesses are struggling now. i have heard some people say that they have heard how anti-foreigner thailand is becoming and had considered changing their plans.

[andy capp]

I also think bangkok airs overpriced flights are not helping especially when you compere the cost of flights from Bangkok to Phuket with the low cost carriers.Bring on Ryan air!!!

[taxin]

I also think bangkok airs overpriced flights are not helping especially when you compere the cost of flights from Bangkok to Phuket with the low cost carriers.Bring on Ryan air!!!

They are all in Phuket. Thai friend of mine who has had a hotel in Phuket for 13 years says this high season has been his best ever !

You cant get a room at the moment in Patong, 100% occupancy everywhere all the way upto end of Feb. Some hotels booked up 120%.

Exactly as the TAT said 2 years ago following the Tsunami. "Phuket is now officially on the map !"...... and they were right !

[Rooo]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...100743&st=0

[sbk]

Welcome to the world of tourism trends!

"Big waves swamp Samui"? - can't be as bad as "Tsunami wipes out Phuket" - surely!?

Have a good year!!!!!

Mmmm... I agree, but my point was that they are lying.

And Rooo, Koh Phangan backpackers only pre-book to the extent of the next place they are headed to. If they are told that a place is flooded out and the boats aren't running then they will change their plans.

Phangan is quieter than usual as well and we hardly have the same demographic as Samui.

It is one thing to promote one's own business and another to lie to steal someone else's. After the tsunami I was encouraging our guests to go over there and spend their money.

Seems no good deed goes unpunished

[lazeeboy]

Welcome to the world of tourism trends!

"Big waves swamp Samui"? - can't be as bad as "Tsunami wipes out Phuket" - surely!?

Have a good year!!!!!

Mmmm... I agree, but my point was that they are lying.

And Rooo, Koh Phangan backpackers only pre-book to the extent of the next place they are headed to. If they are told that a place is flooded out and the boats aren't running then they will change their plans.

Phangan is quieter than usual as well and we hardly have the same demographic as Samui.

It is one thing to promote one's own business and another to lie to steal someone else's. After the tsunami I was encouraging our guests to go over there and spend their money.

Seems no good deed goes unpunished

its now march and the season is almost over for me it didnt begin worst for 5 years

[yabs]

maybe after the tsunami was created by the TAT?

seriously perhaps you got used to seeing samui more busy than usual after the tsunami

and now its back to pre tsunami levels it loks quieter?

I always noticed how much more expensive samui was compared to phuket as well.

Quite easy to get a nice ac room for around 5 or 600 baht

try doing that in samui!

[RAZZELL]

I was in Samui 3 weeks ago...It was definitely quieter than "usual"...

The cost of my usual hotel had gone up by about 3 or 400 baht a night, a taxi from Chaweng to Bophut 300 baht (all of 10 mins)...etc etc etc

I really like Samui, but some people do seem to have "ripped the arse" out of it...

What business owners forget is that there are plenty of other places to go in Thailand or Asia...

(That is, unless your from Israel...then the choice is narrowed down somewhat )

RAZZ

[sbk]

maybe after the tsunami was created by the TAT?

seriously perhaps you got used to seeing samui more busy than usual after the tsunami

and now its back to pre tsunami levels it loks quieter?

I always noticed how much more expensive samui was compared to phuket as well.

Quite easy to get a nice ac room for around 5 or 600 baht

try doing that in samui!

??? What are you talking about?

Anyway, believe it or not, I do keep records so I know how business is from year to year.

We were extremely busy this February, busiest we have ever been. But other businesses have not fared as well, apparently. January was not one of the worst, but not good, even compared to pre-tsunami days. I blame over-development, too many bungalows, same amount of people.

[RAZZELL]

I blame over-development, too many bungalows, same amount of people.

Exactly, over-supply. Maybe there's the same amount of tourists but spread more thinly.

RAZZ

[yabs]

overdevelopment on Samui

surely not!