Prediction Phuket Tourism Will Be A Thing Of The Past

[RICHFROMOZ]

As a former long term resident of southern Thailand, particularly Samui and Phuket, I would like to put my two-bits worth on how much (I feel anyway) Phuket has gone down hill post Tsunami. Rudeness, poor service, blatant rip-off's are an everyday common place on costa-del-phuket. Phuket is now an over developed, grossly poor infrastructured blotch on this beautiful country. If the TOT wants any chance of keeping the many that are now preferring destinations such as Vietnam and Cambodia over they need a new brush to sweep clean.

[vanalli]

Tourism numbers are up and they will keep on rising as TAT taps into new and flourishing markets, such as Russia, the Middle East, India and so on.

[wasabi]

I agree with both of you, Phuket has lost it's charm, but they have found a new batch of people to check it out.

[Somtamnication]

They are already losing the Korean market. The Chinese and Taiwanese market has not recovered since the Tsunami. But, there are suckers born every minute, so Phuket will always be there for those folks who do not research the place further.

[Sir Burr]

If I had a dollar for everytime somebody said "Phuket's lost it's charm, the tourists won't come", I'd be retired by now.

If you want to go to a place that is like Phuket was 30 years ago, just head north of Phuket, or south of Krabi for 50 Kms or, so.

[RICHFROMOZ]

It is true that Phuket has tapped into new markets, Russia, Middle East, India etc. That is because they have totally burnt all the tradtional markets. It is a sad fact that the business done in Phuket is along the lines of, get the baht today, who cares what happend down the line. A recent Colliers Jardine survey showed that tourism in Vietnam will gro by 30% over the next 10 years, compared to 6% in Thailand. Those figures cannot be laughed away.

[chickencurry]

It is true that Phuket has tapped into new markets, Russia, Middle East, India etc. That is because they have totally burnt all the tradtional markets. It is a sad fact that the business done in Phuket is along the lines of, get the baht today, who cares what happend down the line. A recent Colliers Jardine survey showed that tourism in Vietnam will gro by 30% over the next 10 years, compared to 6% in Thailand. Those figures cannot be laughed away.

I guess not everyone likes the same things - it would be a funny old world if we did. I went to HCM for first time last year and thought it was just awful. Whereas I happen to like Phuket, at least the part we live in.

[londonthai]

it's a world famous destination, so package tourists will be coming because of the still good deal, but probably won't come back the next holidays, especially if the place is not much different than the other beach resorts. Those fascinated by the thai culture would go explore the other, less commercialised plases in thailand

[ade100]

I don’t know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

[misterme]

Tourism IS here to stay, but not everyone will survive.

Prices in Phuket keep rising. But they are over developing rooms, which will bring prices down.

Phuket is growing up (finally) and will evolve into something else (hopefully sooner than later) than the one dimensional party/holiday spot.

It's changing from mostly transient population to one with a big year-round Thai and Foreigner population.

Not speaking strictly of Patong, but the whole island.

I hope the days of bad service and bad attitudes, where they treat the customer as disposable are finnished. Reality is, I think that's a little far away.

[MustaphaMond]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

[madmitch]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

It's probably also to do with the seasonal factor, which still exists. Karon/Kata are already very quiet.

[Sir Burr]

Could be the onset of low season.

Silk Air have two and some days three flights a day, mostly full.

In February, I flew from Bangkok to Phuket on a Boeing 777 which was full. I asked the flight attendent where the flight was going after Phuket. She said back to Bangkok, it was a domestic flight. First time I've ever seen a 777 used on an internal flight.

[ade100]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

Maybe but both Tiger and JetStar are beased in Sinagpore, a very well regulated and first world country. I would certainly like to think that they would not be involved in some of the questioable practices of the 12Go airline.

[ade100]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

It's probably also to do with the seasonal factor, which still exists. Karon/Kata are already very quiet.

The season is one factor, but even this time last year, at the start of the 2007 low season, both Tiger and Jetsar were operating more flights to HKT than they are now.

[MustaphaMond]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

Maybe but both Tiger and JetStar are beased in Sinagpore, a very well regulated and first world country. I would certainly like to think that they would not be involved in some of the questioable practices of the 12Go airline.

That may well be but the association has been made Budget = Unsafe. At least to me .

[ilyushin]

Some folks said that about Pattaya years ago too.

[GraemeF]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

there are still f4-5 flights daily from singapore to phuket, I would say that is a lot from a small market such as singapore, yes there was overcapacity before which has led Jet and Tiger to cutback but I would not say this market is in decline !

[geriatrickid]

Won't hit home until Vietnam's tourism industry is up and running. When that happens, watch out, because it will be like the ice water of Songkran hitting the locals when they least expect it or can afford it. There are a lot of well heeled westerners that will look for a place to go where the price is right, pollution is not unbearable, where the government works and the cops do not do shakedowns. They'll take clean orderly beaches free of touts anyday. Even in China, they don't try and rip you off in the taxi from the airport in Shanghai or Beijing.

Yes there are new sources of tourists but take a hard look at those new tourists. The Indians and others are not generous on tips and Indians and the Chinese know how to bargain. They will make the locals regret their haggling ways. As obnoxious as the Eu and Aussie drinking brigade is on Bangla Rd., they do not scream at the bar workers. If the Aussies have a fault it's their over friendliness. The Scandanavian ladies might go topless on the beach but they actually talk to the beach workers like humans. Does anyone think these russian and other former east bloc tourists are as considerate or will be as friendly? The Russians have alot of disposable income but they make the UK and Italian junket budget visitors seem generous. As for the Arab visitors, the Thais take their religion seriously and the Arabs view the locals as infidel idol worshippers to be treated accordingly. Simply put, as pat as the North Americans, Aus/NZ and EU segment might be perceived, they are the plum tourists. They are also fairly well behaved (yobs and lager louts aside.)Lose this segment and you end up a ghost town.

[Galong]

Won't hit home until Vietnam's tourism industry is up and running. When that happens, watch out, because it will be like the ice water of Songkran hitting the locals when they least expect it or can afford it. There are a lot of well heeled westerners that will look for a place to go where the price is right, pollution is not unbearable, where the government works and the cops do not do shakedowns. They'll take clean orderly beaches free of touts anyday. Even in China, they don't try and rip you off in the taxi from the airport in Shanghai or Beijing.

Yes there are new sources of tourists but take a hard look at those new tourists. The Indians and others are not generous on tips and Indians and the Chinese know how to bargain. They will make the locals regret their haggling ways. As obnoxious as the Eu and Aussie drinking brigade is on Bangla Rd., they do not scream at the bar workers. If the Aussies have a fault it's their over friendliness. The Scandanavian ladies might go topless on the beach but they actually talk to the beach workers like humans. Does anyone think these russian and other former east bloc tourists are as considerate or will be as friendly? The Russians have alot of disposable income but they make the UK and Italian junket budget visitors seem generous. As for the Arab visitors, the Thais take their religion seriously and the Arabs view the locals as infidel idol worshippers to be treated accordingly. Simply put, as pat as the North Americans, Aus/NZ and EU segment might be perceived, they are the plum tourists. They are also fairly well behaved (yobs and lager louts aside.)Lose this segment and you end up a ghost town.

A bit heavy on the stereo-typing, but unfortunately fairly accurate too. Quality tourists who respect Thai culture and who treat the locals to tips and such are falling to the wayside. I expect the attitude to get worse here. That also means more possible violence against foreigners, which seems to be on the rise as it is.

And where will the TAT turn once they've pi55sed off the Russians, Indians, Chinese, etc? Thai tourists? Oh yeah, that's gonna be fun.

[madmitch]

I don't know but I will offer this factual information. From Singapore we used to have regular flights with both Jetstar and Tiger. Jetsar reduced their service to Phuket and, as of March, have cancelled it all together. Tiger have reduced their service from 2 or 3 flights per day to just 1.

Contrary to popular belief, the majority of tourists to Thailand come from other Asian countries, not Western countries. However, it seems that it least one other, first world, Asian country is now preferring to holiday elsewhere.

This may well be due to 1-2 Go crash and the wising up on the advisability of traveling on budget asian airlines.

It's probably also to do with the seasonal factor, which still exists. Karon/Kata are already very quiet.

The season is one factor, but even this time last year, at the start of the 2007 low season, both Tiger and Jetsar were operating more flights to HKT than they are now.

And maybe they learnt from last low season and planned this reduction in flight numbers based on losing money at that time.

Also Air Asia now have a Phuket-Singapore flight which is a fairly new route.

On another point, geriatrickid, excellent post, very accurate in my opinion. There are already many Russian and Asian tourists in Phuket, filling the beach during the day (Russians especially) but spending very little in the locally run restaurants, bars and other businesses. Great for the beach chair vendors and the corporate hotel owners but small businesses will suffer if this demographic trend continues.

[huggybear]

As a former long term resident of southern Thailand, particularly Samui and Phuket, I would like to put my two-bits worth on how much (I feel anyway) Phuket has gone down hill post Tsunami. Rudeness, poor service, blatant rip-off's are an everyday common place on costa-del-phuket. Phuket is now an over developed, grossly poor infrastructured blotch on this beautiful country. If the TOT wants any chance of keeping the many that are now preferring destinations such as Vietnam and Cambodia over they need a new brush to sweep clean.

O.K. Chicken-Little, you may want to look up as the sky is falling.

There are always people who are going to get burnt out here and they are always the ones to say it's not what it used to be/it's all going to sh*t.

Couple of things to note why I do not agree with you:

Do you think all the housing construction is due to the fact that people are going to stop coming here? Look around, do you think Marriott Corp, Hyatt, Shangri-La, Outrigger to name a few, are investing here because they are stupid? Gee, do I believe their investment strategists, or you?

I'm in a business where my product, 85% anyway is sold to hotels,resorts and restaurants that cater to tourists. In the last three years sales have doubled. 100% growth. You can go with you Jardine whatever prognoticators, but I've got realtime stats and they do not say that biz is slowing, quite the opposite.

The glass is half full my friend, not half empty.

[abcd22]

If the TOT wants any chance of keeping the many that are now preferring destinations such as Vietnam and Cambodia over they need a new brush to sweep clean.

Are you being facetious?

Cambodia. The pits for those financially challenged and lacking a working moral compass.

What a disgusting hole. It would take an army of new brushes to sweep that place clean.

Give it ten years or so and it may be viable for ordinary holiday makers and tourists.

Quality in Thailand is rising as are expectations of the visitors and prices will have to match the products and services offered. Thailand is on a spiral of improvement. Better accomodations, better services and for the people working in the tourism industry better working conditions and wages.

[chivo]

I just visited and was disgusted. I know I won't ever be back. The type of tourist was just as bad as the locals there.

[ade100]

I am sure Phuket will always have some sort of tourist industry. However they don't seem to be very good at attracting the right type of tourists.

Retirees with good income and second home owners are now being wooed by other places in the region such as Malaysia, Bali and Vietnam. While these places are all making it easier for these folk to get long term visas and to enjoy home ownership, Thailand seems to be doing everything it can to keep them out.

If your selling points are beaches, sex industry and cheap booze, its pretty obvious who is going to show up.

[stiffoak571]

Having recently returned I can say a few things about this:

1.the route down Beach Rd every day in Patong annoyed me due to all the "massage/suit/watches" etc would cross road (not easy) to avoid

2.Im a crap haggler so did less shopping than I would if I felt it was fair (also had one stall where I paid for 5 things and only 3 were in bag when I got back top hotel)

3. can see why some are put off by Bangla - reminded me of Faliraki/Blackpool - certainly sights on soi Croc must take some explaining to small kids!

4. on the beach one day there was a queue trying to sell me stuff when I wanted peace

Of course all of this is my fault becuase I chose to be in Patong - but that's where my dive school was based and in the end whatever "problems" there were it was all worth it for the moments spent underwater at the sights we went to on the dive boat

So that is why on balance I say go to Phuket but if you want quiet with money go BangTao and quiet without Karon/Kata and for energetic singles go Patong

[RICHFROMOZ]

As a former long term resident of southern Thailand, particularly Samui and Phuket, I would like to put my two-bits worth on how much (I feel anyway) Phuket has gone down hill post Tsunami. Rudeness, poor service, blatant rip-off's are an everyday common place on costa-del-phuket. Phuket is now an over developed, grossly poor infrastructured blotch on this beautiful country. If the TOT wants any chance of keeping the many that are now preferring destinations such as Vietnam and Cambodia over they need a new brush to sweep clean.

O.K. Chicken-Little, you may want to look up as the sky is falling.

There are always people who are going to get burnt out here and they are always the ones to say it's not what it used to be/it's all going to sh*t.

Couple of things to note why I do not agree with you:

Do you think all the housing construction is due to the fact that people are going to stop coming here? Look around, do you think Marriott Corp, Hyatt, Shangri-La, Outrigger to name a few, are investing here because they are stupid? Gee, do I believe their investment strategists, or you?

I'm in a business where my product, 85% anyway is sold to hotels,resorts and restaurants that cater to tourists. In the last three years sales have doubled. 100% growth. You can go with you Jardine whatever prognoticators, but I've got realtime stats and they do not say that biz is slowing, quite the opposite.

The glass is half full my friend, not half empty.

Sounds like you are doing well. Just imagine how much better you would be doing if there werent so many crooks operating in Phuket, and by that I mean Thais and Farangs. Get serious, Phuket has become the a-hole of Thailand. All of these posters cannot be getting it wrong. I am still living in Thailand (Chiang Mai) and will never spend another baht on Phuket.

[mrtoad]

Having frequently visited Phuket over the past 17 years I have slowly become more and more disenchanted with it. I have spent the last 5 days down there, and to be honest I was pretty sick of the poor service, rip off taxi's and generally high prices. I don't mind paying more if the service etc is good, but down there it makes no difference.

As for Air Asia , well thats another story that I'll post later......

[MustaphaMond]

I am sure Phuket will always have some sort of tourist industry. However they don't seem to be very good at attracting the right type of tourists.

Retirees with good income and second home owners are now being wooed by other places in the region such as Malaysia, Bali and Vietnam. While these places are all making it easier for these folk to get long term visas and to enjoy home ownership, Thailand seems to be doing everything it can to keep them out.

If your selling points are beaches, sex industry and cheap booze, its pretty obvious who is going to show up.

I think beaches will be too degraded within a few years to remain a draw.

Visibly raw sewage poured in to the various bays.

Recently it's not just the monsoon wind encrusting entire lengths with plastic and whiskey leavings.

And then there's Jack the Lipper.

[MustaphaMond]

Having recently returned I can say a few things about this:

1.the route down Beach Rd every day in Patong annoyed me due to all the "massage/suit/watches" etc would cross road (not easy) to avoid

2.Im a crap haggler so did less shopping than I would if I felt it was fair (also had one stall where I paid for 5 things and only 3 were in bag when I got back top hotel)

3. can see why some are put off by Bangla - reminded me of Faliraki/Blackpool - certainly sights on soi Croc must take some explaining to small kids!

4. on the beach one day there was a queue trying to sell me stuff when I wanted peace

Of course all of this is my fault becuase I chose to be in Patong - but that's where my dive school was based and in the end whatever "problems" there were it was all worth it for the moments spent underwater at the sights we went to on the dive boat

So that is why on balance I say go to Phuket but if you want quiet with money go BangTao and quiet without Karon/Kata and for energetic singles go Patong

On your statement 4 ; I've found if I don't make eye contact, they usually will not approach as it means , " Not interested."