Koh Samui Experiences Tourism Surge: Fully Booked Flights and Hotels Amid Summer Season

[webfact]

 

Surat Thani—On March 27th, 2024, Koh Samui local media reported a large number of foreign tourists flocking to Koh Samui, Surat Thani. It was reported that Bangkok Airways was fully booked for 43 flights in March and it was estimated that more than 4,500 individuals visited Koh Samui daily.

According to Koh Samui local media, a majority of tourists visit Koh Samui for relaxation during the summer in Thailand. Chaweng Beach, a popular beach destination for foreign tourists, has many activities available such as sunbathing, water sports, and other cooling activities.

 

However, since the summer in Thailand was typically scorching, many hotels on Koh Samui were fully booked until the last day of the Songkran Festival in April, generating massive income for locals, according to Koh Samui local media.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-03-29

 

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[jvs]

Could it have anything to do with cleaner air than in the north?

Pay attention government.

[Tropicalevo]

Car ferries are also full.

Book a slot or wait until night time.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, jvs said:

Could it have anything to do with cleaner air than in the north?

Pay attention government.

Probably the local attractions..

[riclag]

Our first time on the Island , last week.

My wife & 27 year old daughter wasn’t thrilled  with the Koh Ganja!

Many of the outside events , beach scenes & hotel entertainment areas , restaurants was filled with second hand Ganja smoke!

💨

Even in the airport !

 

 

Edited March 29 by riclag

[GreasyFingers]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok Airways was fully booked for 43 flights in March

They used to have 10 every day, now down to 1.3 per day? Me thinks the author is BS.

[ronster]

On 3/29/2024 at 6:02 AM, webfact said:

However, since the summer in Thailand was typically scorching, many hotels on Koh Samui were fully booked until the last day of the Songkran Festival in April, generating massive income for locals, according to Koh Samui local media.

Rubbish. I can go and search for hotels in samui next month and there is loads to pick from so nowhere near fully booked !!

[Tropicalevo]

14 hours ago, GreasyFingers said:

They used to have 10 every day, now down to 1.3 per day? Me thinks the author is BS.

They are quoting full flights.

Today there are 46 flights coming in to Samui airport.

 

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/usm/arrivals

 

https://www.samuiairportonline.com/flight-status/

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, ronster said:

Rubbish. I can go and search for hotels in samui next month and there is loads to pick from so nowhere near fully booked !!

 

I wonder how many of these tourism stories are fake news. They read like the fake medical & dental tourism reviews that trick people into thinking other people are going, when in reality it's just window dressing and a nice picture or lobby. A way of getting people's attention so they are more likely to show up and follow what others are doing.

 

It does not seem like much for just one story, but when they keep getting posted everywhere constantly at different places it changes people's perception of that business or location.

Edited March 30 by JimTripper

[Tropicalevo]

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, ronster said:

Rubbish. I can go and search for hotels in samui next month and there is loads to pick from so nowhere near fully booked !!

 

The article just states that many hotels are fully booked.

It does not state all hotels, or most hotels.

 

On 3/29/2024 at 6:02 AM, webfact said:

many hotels on Koh Samui were fully booked

 

51 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

I wonder how many of these tourism stories are fake news.

As someone who lives on Samui, I believe this article to be true.

The traffic is horrific with long queues on the main ring road at times. Not BKK style traffic jams but we are only a small island for goodness sake.

Parking for cars in the main towns is impossible most of the time. Especially Bangrak and Chaweng.

The good restaurants are all packed with customers. Often, I cannot get a table at the regular places that I eat in.

Last week I went to find a new restaurant to try in Choengmon. Drove through the village and went home again. Everywhere was busy and noisy.

They are having to run extra ferries from the mainland and Bangkok Airways is adding additional flights on very busy days.

(46 flights today, The average is 40.)

It is still 'very high season' here.

[Tmoney]

Agree 100% with TE, the island is buzzing and packed with tourists.

One strange phenomenon though, the expat bars in and around places like Bangrak are strangely very quiet and have not seen their clientele return since Covid.

 

[impulse]

31 minutes ago, Tmoney said:

Agree 100% with TE, the island is buzzing and packed with tourists.

 

Is it mostly foreign tourists or is it Thai tourists? 

 

I've never been to Samui, but I recall several weekend jaunts (Pilok mostly) absolutely packed with Thai tourists and hardly a foreigner to be seen.

 

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Is it mostly foreign tourists or is it Thai tourists? 

 

I've never been to Samui, but I recall several weekend jaunts (Pilok mostly) absolutely packed with Thai tourists and hardly a foreigner to be seen.

 

Mostly foreigners in our experience.

Europeans and Indians.  (Half term/Easter in most of Europe)

Some Thais with overseas boyfriends/husbands meeting up with family.

Edited March 30 by Tropicalevo

[Tmoney]

19 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Mostly foreigners in our experience.

Europeans and Indians.  (Half term/Easter in most of Europe)

Some Thais with overseas boyfriends/husbands meeting up with family.

And as there will be a 3-5 day National holiday (Songkhran) soon, the Thais will be arriving here en masse in about a week's time, so once again many hotels will have full capacity.

Fortunately, the actual 'enjoyment' of water throwing lasts for only one day here on Samui unlike the rest of the country where it can last for up to a week.