PHUKET can look forward to increasing tourist numbers, with the figures for international travel in June jumping over the same month last year by an astonishing 46.28 percent.
So the red Pattaya resort invasion of April 2009 actually delivered a worse hit for Phuket tourism than the prolonged Bangkok nightmare of 2010. Or perhaps visitors are just growing more accustomed to ''democrazy'' in action.
The truth is, it probably has more to do with the bargains on offer. But at least it does appear as though discerning travellers are able to tell real danger from the false alarms of all those national travel alerts, unjustified for Phuket and the Andaman especially.
Direct flights are definitely another reason for Phuket failing to suffer to the same degree as other destinations within Thailand. The number of international flights increased month on month by 32.92 percent. A grand total of 3336 landings and takeoffs made June 2009's tally of 2617 look weeny by comparison.
As for passengers, the massive increase in international arrivals and departures for June was off-set by the stay-at-home domestic market, which fell by 5.78 percent. Combined, the total arrivals and departures tallied 387,998, with the 184,998 international movements almost matching the 203,000 domestic movements.
June is traditionally Phuket's worst month, so better times undoubtedly lie ahead as the Tourism Authority of Thailand resurrects the industry, with the help of resorts offering discounts or a multitude of extra attractions.
We don't have access to the accounts, but we'd speculate that the bottom line figures for June 2010 at some resorts may not be much higher than the figures for June 2009, because of the fresh discounting.
Phuket's 2010 visitors generally are not as cashed up as they were back in the golden days before the global downturn began in 2008, so there's also less being spent on spas, diving, tours and adventure treks.
But only a grumpy expat cynic could possibly be downcast about the trend. The October 2009 to June 2010 figure for total arrivals and departures was 26.77 percent up on the previous October-June cycle, with 2.4 million international and 2.8 million domestic arrivals and departures.
So the red Pattaya resort invasion of April 2009 actually delivered a worse hit for Phuket tourism than the prolonged Bangkok nightmare of 2010. Or perhaps visitors are just growing more accustomed to ''democrazy'' in action.
The truth is, it probably has more to do with the bargains on offer. But at least it does appear as though discerning travellers are able to tell real danger from the false alarms of all those national travel alerts, unjustified for Phuket and the Andaman especially.
Direct flights are definitely another reason for Phuket failing to suffer to the same degree as other destinations within Thailand. The number of international flights increased month on month by 32.92 percent. A grand total of 3336 landings and takeoffs made June 2009's tally of 2617 look weeny by comparison.
As for passengers, the massive increase in international arrivals and departures for June was off-set by the stay-at-home domestic market, which fell by 5.78 percent. Combined, the total arrivals and departures tallied 387,998, with the 184,998 international movements almost matching the 203,000 domestic movements.
June is traditionally Phuket's worst month, so better times undoubtedly lie ahead as the Tourism Authority of Thailand resurrects the industry, with the help of resorts offering discounts or a multitude of extra attractions.
We don't have access to the accounts, but we'd speculate that the bottom line figures for June 2010 at some resorts may not be much higher than the figures for June 2009, because of the fresh discounting.
Phuket's 2010 visitors generally are not as cashed up as they were back in the golden days before the global downturn began in 2008, so there's also less being spent on spas, diving, tours and adventure treks.
But only a grumpy expat cynic could possibly be downcast about the trend. The October 2009 to June 2010 figure for total arrivals and departures was 26.77 percent up on the previous October-June cycle, with 2.4 million international and 2.8 million domestic arrivals and departures.
Great trends, reality is that the amount of new rooms opening outstrips the increase of arrivals, most hotels and resorts will tell you that they had a poor June. Additionally many of the condominiums and villa developments are which do not have buyers, are rented out like hotel rooms to generate cash flow .
So arrival numbers are up, but nowhere where they need to be to fill new hotels, villas and condos to acceptable low season level.
So hopefully this will start a slow down of new developments.......
Posted by Wolfgang.Meusburger on July 8, 2010 15:50