Phuket Tourism Soars 87% From 2005

[Nemo.]

Move to Malaysia next door ... they will be so happy to treat you like a human )

ive been to malaysia, never again. the people are the most unfriendly i have come across in all the countries i have visited worldwide.

malayasia is certainly not truly asia.

Well, I lived in Malaysia for a few years and a lot more in Thailand and I would not jump to such a statement. While the culture and history differ widely, both countries have their plus and minus. One thing I can agree too, though is the Malays cannot compete with the Thais when it comes to food but the Chinese and Indians are there to save the day....

Do agree - lived in Malaysia 2 years - Malays are very friendly actually (mostly) more so than Thais in a way - Thais just have the fake smile syndrom whereas the Malays smile like the Brits. Know many nice Thais of course but the "Thai rak Thai" party approach - hate all foreigners - is far more noticeable in Thailand than the same effect in Malaysia.

[FunkyGuru]

87% Over last year?!! Is really good news?

Many times I have difficulties reading such absurd Headlines published. The true benchmark would be to compare where does the total tourism inflow stands compared to pre tsunami year(s). Then and only then one can say definitively about the improvement / rise in tourism / return to normalcy.

Comparing last 4 years of data and my personal observation of tourists in Koh Samui, I think the over all tourism this year is much lower than last year. I am sure this would be applicable to the rest of the country too. Certain benchmarks that I use, for example, the number of resort, hotel, restaurant and shops of sale has risen in Koh Samui, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Ayuthaya and even in Bangkok, has risen dramatically this year compared to last year.

Hotels/Resorts offering special walk in prices / web promotion prices in otherwise High Season of December / January is actually sign of sever slump in the inbound traffic.

I am really amazed at how can one give such a daft statement of 87% over last year?!! It's not really a good news. It's just the sugar coated pill that will distract from the fact that there are less tourists this year.

I know cause I feel the pinch. I manage a resort myself.

[deathmetalxxx]

Phuket tourism soars 87% from 2005

BANGKOK: -- About 4.7 million tourists are projected to visit the southern resort of Phuket in 2006, a jump of 87 per cent from last year, according to a report issued by Kasikorn Research Center.

Tourism in Phuket plummeted after the tsunami devastated southern coastal provinces, including Phuket, on Boxing Day of 2004 but began to recover since the beginning of this year due to several positive factors, the report said.

These factors included increased confidence on safety measures for tourists, close cooperation between the public and private sectors on reviving tourism spots and improving services in Phuket, and regular activities organized on the island.

Of the 4.7 million tourists visiting Phuket in 2006, about 70 per cent are foreign tourists, up 150 per cent from last year, while the remainder are local tourists which are projected to rise 18 per cent this year, the report said.

This year's revenue from tourism in Phuket is estimated at Bt62 billion, a jump of 120 per cent from 2005, of which about 82 per cent of the total comes from spending by foreign tourists.

In a bid to make Phuket the gateway to the Andaman Sea in 2007, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has mapped strategies on developing tourism on the island as well as areas along the Andaman Sea. Private tourism operators will also adapt their business strategies to coordinate with the government's policy.

Tourism recovery in Phuket is expected to continue to 2007 with sustainable growth projected at 11 per cent or 5.2 million people visiting the island while tourism revenue is estimated to further rise to Bt74 billion, the report added.

--TNA 2006-12-10

hurrah! more hicks is what phuket needs