Phuket's Tourism Boom: 7.6 Million Visitors in Just 7 Months

Photo courtesy of Your Tour Desk

Phuket is basking in a tourism resurgence, welcoming over 7.6 million visitors between January and July this year. This influx has injected an impressive 290 billion baht into the local economy, reaffirming the island’s status as Thailand’s tourism crown jewel.

Governor Sophon Suwannarat recently highlighted the diverse visitor demographics contributing to this revival. Notably, Russian, Chinese, and Indian tourists led the arrivals list. However, July saw a shift, with Europeans making up 43% of that month's visitors. In July alone, 887,000 tourists arrived, generating 36 billion baht for the island.

Hotel occupancy rates have been a key indicator of this momentum. From January to July, hotels reported an average occupancy rate of 76.61%. Though the rate dipped to 63.99% in July, this variation mirrors the seasonal dynamics of international travel.

A surge in air traffic has significantly supported this tourism wave. Phuket International Airport registered 63,007 flights in the first seven months of the year, marking a 6% increase from the previous year. In July, the airport managed 7,896 flights, underscoring the island’s growing appeal.

Expanding flight routes have further boosted Phuket’s connectivity. This year saw the introduction of several new services: AirAsia commenced flights between Medan and Phuket with four weekly services, Asiana Airlines launched 14 flights a week from Seoul, and Air France added a thrice-weekly route from Paris.

Maritime arrivals are also contributing to the tourism boom. Between January and July, 154,217 travellers arrived via 55 tourist boats, with an additional 670 visitors arriving on 527 yachts.

Last year, Phuket hosted around 13.1 million visitors, generating 497 billion baht, the highest for any Thai province. Current figures suggest that this year might rival or even surpass last year’s record.

With enhanced flight connectivity, consistent hotel bookings, and increasing tourist numbers from around the globe, Phuket is experiencing not just a recovery but a thriving boom in tourism.

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-09-02