Phuket Recovery

[womble]

Just come back from Phuket, and there is definatley a huge inprovement since my last visit a few weeks back. Theree were people in the restaurants, and people in the bars, whilst not as busy as this time last year obviously, it is a marked improvement on last month.

There was a distinct lack of Asian tourists tho, most of the tourists seemed to be farang couples, at least most of those I saw in the restaurants in Patong were. I didn't walk up Bangla, but driving past the bottom along beach road at about 8pm I looked up the street, and it seemed like there was a fair few people walking up and down, unlike last month when hardly a soul could be seen all the way up.

This is great news for Phuket, and very encouraging, the lack of Asian tourists is a bit worrying, although totally expected due to their belief in ghosts etc. Phuket must start targeting the farangs, who are not put off by ghosts etc.

I didn't get a chance to see other areas, but Patong looked like a different town from my last visit. The depressing feeling I felt last time has changed into one of optimism.

The only downside is the building, and damage on the quieter areas of beach road, it seems only the area between Bangla and Mc donalds is being repaired properly.

If the Government had any sense they would realise that they should spend Govnernment $ on rebuilding, as a more attractive seafront will attract more tourists. It seems the TRT government have done F$%^ ALL to help the people of Phuket and Khao Lak.

Shame on you!!!

[pktkid]

Just come back from Phuket, and there is definatley a huge inprovement since my last visit a few weeks back.  Theree were people in the restaurants, and people in the bars, whilst not as busy as this time last year obviously, it is a marked improvement on last month. 

There was a distinct lack of Asian tourists tho, most of the tourists seemed to be farang couples, at least most of those I saw in the restaurants in Patong were.  I didn't walk up Bangla, but driving past the bottom along beach road at about 8pm I looked up the street, and it seemed like there was a fair few people walking up and down, unlike last month when hardly a soul could be seen all the way up.

This is great news for Phuket, and very encouraging, the lack of Asian tourists is a bit worrying, although totally expected due to their belief in ghosts etc.  Phuket must start targeting the farangs, who are not put off by ghosts etc.

I didn't get a chance to see other areas, but Patong looked like a different town from my last visit.  The depressing feeling I felt last time has changed into one of optimism.

The only downside is the building, and damage on  the quieter areas of beach road, it seems only the area between Bangla and Mc donalds is being repaired properly.

If the Government had any sense they would realise that they should spend Govnernment $ on rebuilding, as a more attractive seafront will attract more tourists.  It seems the TRT government have done F$%^ ALL to help the people of Phuket and Khao Lak.

Shame on you!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you Womble, you have certainly redeemed yourself !

The fact is Patong is getting better week by week, as you have seen yourself from your last visit. I have also noticed this myself having just returned from a week in Bangkok, a positive improvement all round ! Lots of couples & families. Even sex pest corner was busy !

As for lack of bookings for the high season this is again another poor indication, just because the resorts are not yet seeing the bookings for high season this doesnt mean the hotels will not be upto full occupancy, at least not in Patong anyway.

It is a well known fact that rooms are hard to come buy in Patong in the high season unless you book early, these rooms will be at full occupancy in the high season, they will simply be a little late in taking the bookings.

Asian tourists are unfortunately down however, the Europeans and most importantly the Aussies will make up for this, last night I was sat next to a table with a family of 18 Aussies, yes I counted 18 which included 4 or 5 children, all of them were having a ball which was great to see !

Heres to Phuket and a full recovery being just around the corner !

[baht&sold]

Thank you Womble, you have certainly redeemed yourself !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heartily seconded! Nice one Womble

PS, apologies on previous rant...

[george]

Bangkok Post:

Struggling hotel operators pin hopes on high season

PHUKET: -- The sentiment pervading Phuket hoteliers and resort operators is unmistakably subdued, with most resigned to the likelihood that only 15-20% of their 32,000 rooms would be taken by guests for the first 10 months of this year, as increasingly desperate bids to lure back tourists to this island resort have failed.

Having witnessed the doldrums of low occupancy rates for six months after the Dec 26 tsunami strike, many operators are pinning remaining hopes on making up lost businesses from the low season in the next four to five months.

But Asian tourists, who normally fill up at least half of the rooms in Phuket during the rainy season from May to November, are staying away from the Thai Andaman coastal resorts in droves, despite huge bargains in tour packages.

The Asian tourists still have not come to terms with the uncomfortable perception that 5,395 people have died and 2,817 remain missing in the catastrophe in the six Thai southern provinces.

Phuket hoteliers said it could be reasonably assumed that some Asian tourists from places such as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea would visit Phuket during the current low-season but the number would be insignificant.

Nor do they expect domestic travellers to come to Phuket and nearby tsunami-affected provinces in large numbers this low season, even though there are heavily discounted packages _ as little as 3,500 baht for a two-night stay including airfares from Bangkok. The few tourists who come provide some cash to pay for their daily expenses but profits are thin.

"It is better than nothing. It (the occupancy rate) can't be worst than this for the rest of the year," said Pamuke Achariyachai, president of the Kata Group, a major resort operator in Phuket's Kata beach area, while noting that the average occupancy rate for the period low-season is likely to stay at 15-to-20%.

However, deluxe international hotels are likely to be better off, and may record 50% occupancy rates in the low season, thanks to support from their respective chains who send leisure and meeting guests to their establishments.

The industry issued a plea to domestic travellers to help keep the battered hotel and tourism industry of Phuket and nearby resorts alive until the high season brings the expected return of European holidaymakers.

One estimate stated that over the past six months, the tsunami washed away some 60 billion baht in tourist revenue, drove more than 400 tourism-related establishments out of business and left about 9,000 people jobless _ including 30% of the 42,000 hotel employees.

Aircraft takeoffs and landings at Phuket International Airport in the first five months of the year contracted to 3,804, or more than 25% compared with 2004. The number of inbound and outbound passengers plunged 44% to 1,103,553, according to Airports of Thailand. At least four international airlines last month suspended their flights or closed their offices in Phuket.

And the high season is not expected to bring back as many tourists as last year, when hotels and resorts were overflowing, mostly with Europe vacationers.

International arrivals ran from about 60,000 in October to nearly 100,000 in December last year.

"We will consider ourselves lucky if we get 50-to-60% (occupancy rates) in the forthcoming high season," said Eam Thavornvongwongse, chairman of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce.

Many hotels with deep pockets are partially closed for renovation until November.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-04

[womble]

It was always going to take a while for things to start kicking in, but I think the western tourists will be back in the high season, as the article says tho Asians may not be so quick to return.

Why is the government persisting in nighttime entertainment area crackdowns in tourist areas??? You'd think they want all the tourists $ they can get at this stage, by entertainment I don't just mean go go's, but respectable bars too.

I heard one of the beer bar sois was raided by armed police the other night in Patong, although not exactly 100% respectable you have to wonder what the power that be are thinking when they order such things.

WHY ARE THEY TARGETING TOURISTS?

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

Phuket must start targeting the farangs, who are not put off by ghosts etc.

"Phuket: Don't be put off by the Ghosts!" .

...(not quite as effective a hook as "Amazing Thailand")

If there are ghosts, then actually, I would be put off.

Particularly if they were gross and disgusting and wormy like the ghosts in 'The Fog'.

...or like the green one in Ghostbusters

If they were like Casper, or Patrick Swayze in 'Ghost' , then ....ok.

[womble]

This isn't something the Thai governement can brush under the carpet, people will not forget this one, I think they should spends big $ on making a world class museum that tourists can visit, this could also help educate the local population, and be a huge tourist attraction.

A lot of interest has been created in the phenomenom of Tsunami, they should use it to their advantage.

[LivinLOS]

Personally I would be happier of money was spent instead of on a museam or the macarbe use it to bury power lines in scienic areas, employ a crew of beach cleaners (really how expensive would this be) to clear the rubbish on our beaches, improve waste management, create public transport solutions to tuk tuks in tourist towns, etc etc etc.. ###### even sorting out that dog pound would be a worthwhile cause IMHO..

[womble]

Personally I would be happier of money was spent instead of on a museam or the macarbe use it to bury power lines in scienic areas, employ a crew of beach cleaners (really how expensive would this be) to clear the rubbish on our beaches, improve waste management, create public transport solutions to  tuk tuks in tourist towns, etc etc etc.. ###### even sorting out that dog pound would be a worthwhile cause IMHO..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Totally agree these should come first, but it's never gonna happen, if they want to attract 'The high end Tourists' in larger numbers, these are all things that need addressing first.

[eljeque]

and left about 9,000 people jobless _ including 30% of the 42,000 hotel employees.

quick. what is 30% of 42,000? 12,000

How can 9,000 include 12,000?

[WhiteShiva]

and left about 9,000 people jobless _ including 30% of the 42,000 hotel employees.

  quick.  what is 30% of 42,000?    12,000

  How can 9,000 include 12,000?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is typical of the Bangkok Post - they have never been very good with numbers.

[LivinLOS]

Or the Gazette..

Take this wonderful piece of number reporting from the front page Dog story..

Sunart Wongchawalit, chief of the Phuket Provincial Livestock Office (PPLO), explained that adequately feeding all 300 dogs requires 100 kilograms of dry dog food a day.

commitment from Phuket City, but we still haven’t received the funds. When we do, that should buy 3,000kg of food – enough to last about three months.

I think anyone with more than the brain cells of a tiger prawn can see what I mean...

Its as if no one proof reads this stuff..

[madmitch]

Personally I would be happier of money was spent instead of on a museam or the macarbe use it to bury power lines in scienic areas, employ a crew of beach cleaners (really how expensive would this be) to clear the rubbish on our beaches, improve waste management, create public transport solutions to  tuk tuks in tourist towns, etc etc etc.. ###### even sorting out that dog pound would be a worthwhile cause IMHO..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agree entirely but Phuket also needs some more attractions using private money. Swimming pools, beaches and shopping are fine but what else is there for families with kids? The overpriced Phuket Fantasea, the equally expensive Dino Park, the dual-priced aquarium that takes ten minutes to walk round and the dreadful zoo. Anything else?

Sadly the island is spoilt enough that the creation of a water park or theme park of some sort will not adversely effect the surroundings; something could even be created just off the island, accessible from Phuket and Krabi.

I'm not actually a great fan of such ventures in areas of limited space but I believe it would be profitable and maybe sway families in the direction of Phuket, whilst hopefully not deterring the regular visitors who I hope to see again next season.

[jrincon17]

Just come back from Phuket, and there is definatley a huge inprovement since my last visit a few weeks back.  Theree were people in the restaurants, and people in the bars, whilst not as busy as this time last year obviously, it is a marked improvement on last month. 

There was a distinct lack of Asian tourists tho, most of the tourists seemed to be farang couples, at least most of those I saw in the restaurants in Patong were.  I didn't walk up Bangla, but driving past the bottom along beach road at about 8pm I looked up the street, and it seemed like there was a fair few people walking up and down, unlike last month when hardly a soul could be seen all the way up.

This is great news for Phuket, and very encouraging, the lack of Asian tourists is a bit worrying, although totally expected due to their belief in ghosts etc.  Phuket must start targeting the farangs, who are not put off by ghosts etc.

I didn't get a chance to see other areas, but Patong looked like a different town from my last visit.  The depressing feeling I felt last time has changed into one of optimism.

The only downside is the building, and damage on  the quieter areas of beach road, it seems only the area between Bangla and Mc donalds is being repaired properly.

If the Government had any sense they would realise that they should spend Govnernment $ on rebuilding, as a more attractive seafront will attract more tourists.  It seems the TRT government have done F$%^ ALL to help the people of Phuket and Khao Lak.

Shame on you!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I arrived in april and it seemed pretty busy b y the time i left on June 24th it had become very quiet and slow . I think you are comparing to right after the Tsunami . I seen girls leaving to other places because it was too slow for work . i have many friends that work at resturaunts and they want to stop work because it is so slow , and come back in a month or so