TOO many resorts was the message once again today when some of Phuket's top owners and managers met to discuss 'Phuket Creative Tourism.'

Oversupply and the failure of tourist numbers to keep pace has become the key issue, along with the balance between growth and nature.

Phuket is a top world destination but the island needs to improve, Apirak Kosayodhin, adviser to the Prime Minister and a former Governor of Bangkok, told about 200 people at the first day of the two seminar at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa.

''The natural attractions have to be protected,'' he said. ''Phuket is not clear about how this can be done yet. Brand Phuket needs to be repositioned.''

He struck comparisons with Bali and the Maldives and said that Phuket needed to develop its culture so as to make the experience of staying here unique in every way. Nature, original culture and heritage are what would work with most tourists, he said.

Flying from Bangkok to Phuket left him wondering why Thai Airways was not serving local Phuket food on the flight. ''Why isn't there a taste of Phuket on the flight? Why isn't there more of an introduction to Phuket culture on the way?

''Sandwich on the way to Phuket, sandwich on the way to Chiang Mai, sandwich on the way to Isarn. It doesn't mean anything.

''Phuket needs to educate people so they can tell tourists what is special about Phuket.''

Phuket today was a mass tourism destination with basic infrastructure and basic use of a rich cultural heritage.

Tourism needed to add value, build the brand, invest in infrastructure and leverage Thai heritage.

He said the aim should be to make make Phuket a higher value-added tourist destination, with higher-quality physical and environmental infrastructure. Cultural tourism and heritage-based tourism could be much better for Phuket.

''The number of tourists is large and still growing,'' he said. ''More effort needs to be made to preserve the beauty of the environment.''

Every effort needs to be made to accentuate the positive aspects of modern social networking. People had become more reliant on what other people said than what they were ''sold'' by organisations such as the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Individuals were making judgements themselves rather than turning to agents.

Methee Tanmanatragul, past-resident of the Thai Hotels Southern Chapter, told the gathering Phuket once had three seasons - high season, peak season and ''not high'' season.

''These days, do not ask about peak season,'' he said. ''November, December, January once delivered great occupancy rates about 10 years ago, when prices were also extremely stable.

''In the past five years we've had 'buy one, get one free,' 'stay three nights and bring a friend for free' and that has undermined the brand. Oversupply of rooms has also damaged the industry.

''I believe the law can be changed and should be changed to govern supply and demand more effectively. This year, Singapore's occupancy is at 85 percent, with the average rate about 10,000 baht, and that's because the economy is carefully controlled.

''Phuket averages 35-40 percent occupancy and the rate is 4000 baht. The message is very plain.

''With more resorts opening, the quality is what suffers. With an economic crisis, everyone competes with everyone. Everyone suffers.

''High season occupancy is 70 percent now, compared to close to 100 percent 10 years ago.''

Khun Metee said that resort developers could no longer budget on returns coming within three or four years. Now it took 15 to 20 years to move into profit.

Pattanapong Eakwanid, who headed the Phuket Tourist Association during the 2004 tsunami, said that service skills remained a deficiency on Phuket. ''We should have controlled room numbers and looked at the long-term,'' he said.

''We had problems on the beaches, too many problems, before the tsunami. After the tsunami, I tried many times to solve some of the chronic problems involving behavior and attitudes on the beaches.

''We could not get the local authorities to change their ways. Another tsunami may be the only solution,'' he said.

Somchai Sinlapanon, an industry veteran and president of the Kata-Karon Hotels Association, criticised the billboard landscapes that covered natural beauty. He also noted buildings above 80 metres that should have not been permitted to go up.

Room rates and quality dropped with the oversupply of rooms, he said.