Phuket Targets High-End Tourists for B500 Billion Revenue Goal

[webfact]

 

Phuket is aiming to achieve a tourism revenue goal of 500 billion baht in the latter half of this year, focusing on attracting high-end tourists. The shift in target, up from an initial 420 billion baht, reflects the island's capacity as a premier destination for tourism, transportation, and aviation.

 

Rewat Areerob, head of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), revealed two main strategies designed to elevate tourism and local income by drawing in visitors with significant spending capabilities.

 

The first strategy addresses traffic congestion, replacing the long-serving pink pho thong buses with 24 electric vehicles (EVs). These EVs are set to run on key routes to enhance access to popular tourist sites and urban areas.

 

The planned routes include Saphan Hin to Central Phuket shopping mall, Ao Chalong Pier to Super Cheap supermarket, Rassada Pier to Andamanda Water Park, and from Phuket Airport to Rawai Beach. Each EV is equipped to carry 21 passengers, with test drives scheduled for December.

The initiative aims not only to improve urban mobility but also to provide efficient transit for tourists and residents alike.

 

The second part of Phuket's strategy is transformative urban planning: relocating the provincial prison to Thalang district, thereby freeing up the existing site for a public park.

 

This 33-rai green space is envisioned to enhance both recreational and wellness opportunities for the community and tourists. It will feature ample parking and integrate with surrounding green areas, forming a central urban park.

 

This park project, budgeted at 169.5 million baht, exemplifies Phuket's commitment to sustainable urban development while boosting its appeal as a high-end tourist destination.

 

Through these initiatives, Phuket seeks not only to increase visitor expenditures but also to enhance the overall tourist experience, contributing significantly to reaching its ambitious revenue target, reported Bangkok Post.

 

Picture courtesy: TAT News

 

-- 2024-10-15

 

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Phuket is aiming to achieve a tourism revenue goal of 500 billion baht in the latter half of this year, focusing on attracting high-end tourists. The shift in target, up from an initial 420 billion baht, reflects the island's capacity as a premier destination for tourism, transportation, and aviation.

Talking of capacity, is it not stuffed to the rafters now?

Or are they trying to encourage high end high spending tourists in favour of the more traditional tourist on a budget ?

[Homburg]

Only 500 billion baht?

 

The taxi drivers won't be happy.

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The first strategy addresses traffic congestion, replacing the long-serving pink pho thong buses with 24 electric vehicles (EVs). These EVs are set to run on key routes to enhance access to popular tourist sites and urban areas.

Do "high-end tourists" use a bus – perhaps I misunderstood what a high-end tourist is like...🤔

[mokwit]

Benidorm has more chance of attracting high end tourists.

[ujayujay]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

 

Phuket is aiming to achieve a tourism revenue goal of 500 billion baht in the latter half of this year, focusing on attracting high-end tourists. The shift in target, up from an initial 420 billion baht, reflects the island's capacity as a premier destination for tourism, transportation, and aviation.

 

Rewat Areerob, head of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), revealed two main strategies designed to elevate tourism and local income by drawing in visitors with significant spending capabilities.

 

The first strategy addresses traffic congestion, replacing the long-serving pink pho thong buses with 24 electric vehicles (EVs). These EVs are set to run on key routes to enhance access to popular tourist sites and urban areas.

 

The planned routes include Saphan Hin to Central Phuket shopping mall, Ao Chalong Pier to Super Cheap supermarket, Rassada Pier to Andamanda Water Park, and from Phuket Airport to Rawai Beach. Each EV is equipped to carry 21 passengers, with test drives scheduled for December.

The initiative aims not only to improve urban mobility but also to provide efficient transit for tourists and residents alike.

 

The second part of Phuket's strategy is transformative urban planning: relocating the provincial prison to Thalang district, thereby freeing up the existing site for a public park.

 

This 33-rai green space is envisioned to enhance both recreational and wellness opportunities for the community and tourists. It will feature ample parking and integrate with surrounding green areas, forming a central urban park.

 

This park project, budgeted at 169.5 million baht, exemplifies Phuket's commitment to sustainable urban development while boosting its appeal as a high-end tourist destination.

 

Through these initiatives, Phuket seeks not only to increase visitor expenditures but also to enhance the overall tourist experience, contributing significantly to reaching its ambitious revenue target, reported Bangkok Post.

 

Picture courtesy: TAT News

 

-- 2024-10-15

 

 

How many millions more tourists does the TAT want to bring to this rathole called Phuket? It is already so overcrowded and is anything but a premier destination.....a joke

[LukKrueng]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Phuket is aiming to achieve a tourism revenue goal of 500 billion baht in the latter half of this year

They do realise that it's only 2 and a half months till the end of this year, right?

[LivingNThailand]

24 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

They do realise that it's only 2 and a half months till the end of this year, right?

And it is still raining here.  BKK Post said today rainy season lasting until the end of November.   I see more cement trucks here than tour buses or vans.   Even my friend who is a taxi driver said a medium amount of tourists is good.   Too many tourists is bad for Thai people and the environment.   Enough is enough TAT!!!!  And new Thai government.   Diversify the government income.  Tourism is easy for the government.  They don't have to put too much money out for the investment.   The private sector puts out the money.  Very sad.  

[BritScot]

Used to go there for weekend breaks, using the same hotel. Then the Russians started arriving and the hotel more than doubled it's prices. Simply turned around jumped into my car and drove to Krabi. We have never looked back.  We as a family love Krabi. Now we split our holiday Bkk then our house then krabi back to our house then back to bkk and home to uk. Love our week in krabi.

[Kino]

Bow down before God Money, Thailand.

Is this what Rama IX meant by self-sufficiency? 

[paulikens]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Talking of capacity, is it not stuffed to the rafters now?

Or are they trying to encourage high end high spending tourists in favour of the more traditional tourist on a budget ?

It's stuffed full of concrete eyesores but no-one in them.   

[London Lowf]

37 minutes ago, paulikens said:

It's stuffed full of concrete eyesores but no-one in them.   

 

The number of half-completed and abandoned major developments over the northern half of the island is mind-boggling! I am not familiar with south of Patong, but would assume that it is the same.

 

They put up the concrete framework and then, I assume, run out of money and simply walk away from it.

 

Some places are half-completed (e.g. Kamala Falls) and people move in and have to wake up every day and gaze over half of the development which is abandoned, derelict and slowly crumbling.

 

Buying off-plan is a perilous investment in many countries - in Thailand it is asking for trouble.

 

[paulikens]

On 10/15/2024 at 1:29 PM, London Lowf said:

 

The number of half-completed and abandoned major developments over the northern half of the island is mind-boggling! I am not familiar with south of Patong, but would assume that it is the same.

 

They put up the concrete framework and then, I assume, run out of money and simply walk away from it.

 

Some places are half-completed (e.g. Kamala Falls) and people move in and have to wake up every day and gaze over half of the development which is abandoned, derelict and slowly crumbling.

 

Buying off-plan is a perilous investment in many countries - in Thailand it is asking for trouble.

 

Yes, It's awful.  It's bad enough having concrete eyesores ruining the views and it's even worse they're just empty or half built eyesores.  

[MalcolmB]

Phuket is special and they charge more for nearly everything compared with the rest of Thailand.

And they still keep coming. The downside is the traffic. Upside is more top end restaurants etc that other areas could not maintain due to not enough big spenders.

 

People like myself don’t mind paying extra for the best, and it helps to keep riff raff out. A lot of flak that Phuket gets is from the less well heeled who hate the place because of the prices. 
 

Business is about supply and demand, Phuket is nailing it, so much demand they can put up prices making a lot of the locals very wealthy.

A lot wealthier than all the complainers.