AUSTRALIANS lead the top 10 tourism nations supporting Phuket but rip-offs and racism loom as threats to Phuket's tourism future, a key industry leader and observer has revealed.
The number of German tourists is already declining because the balance with nature is slipping, says Somboon Chirayus, president of the Phuket Tourist Association.
Briefing Phuket's Real Estate Association at Phuket Royal City, Khun Somboon said that the top 10 nations in importance for Phuket are: Australia (420,000 visitors all year long in 2010) Russia (150,000) Britain (130,000) China (130,000) followed by Sweden, Korea, Germany, Denmark, Japan and Finland.
Tourism had the capacity to assist the property/real estate industry because the growth of tourism was generating more resorts, and encouraging people to move to Phuket seeking jobs.
The circle of benefits extended beyond resort employees to service providers and vendors of all kinds, he said.
The downside was that tourism continued to be vulnerable and because of its sensitivity, was easily disrupted, he said.
The key negatives that had the potential to impact on Phuket are:
Politics. Even if a demonstration happens to be confined to Bangkok, the effects spread throughout Thailand to Phuket. [And generalised national travel alerts don't help.]
Disease. H1N1, swine flu, bird flu. Every potential plague has the capacity to plague the travel industry - and Phuket - very rapidly.
Khun Somboon detects this as a subtle but continuing problem, both among Thais and other nationalities, where disdain for a particular type of visitor is shown in the faces of the people involved
Natural disasters. Phuket has felt the effect of more than its share, from the 2004 tsunami on, even when not directly affected.
The other factor was rip-offs, he said, including not just ways in which tourists could be parted with their cash but also the violence that occasionally accompanied disputes.
The brighter future lay with increasing numbers of tourists, Khun Somboon said. In marketing terms, numbers from Indonesia were up 78 percent last year, with the disappearance of the departure tax, and with the Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore triangle more important to Phuket.
Promising as well is the Middle East, with numbers up 30 percent and more direct flights from Qatar Airways, Mehan Air in Iran, and other likely. India also held attractions, with 40,000 visitors to Phuket in 2010.
Domestic travellers were less likely to come, he said, because most Bangkokians preferred the destinations such as Hua Hin and Pattaya that they could reach in an easy drive from the capital.
Competition from Turkey, Greece and Spain in Europe was becoming more intense. One sign that Phuket needed to work harder came with the continuing defection of German tourists to Khao Lak and other places where the balance with nature was better, he said.
Phuket Expat Aussie Businessman Held Over DrugsThe number of German tourists is already declining because the balance with nature is slipping, says Somboon Chirayus, president of the Phuket Tourist Association.
Briefing Phuket's Real Estate Association at Phuket Royal City, Khun Somboon said that the top 10 nations in importance for Phuket are: Australia (420,000 visitors all year long in 2010) Russia (150,000) Britain (130,000) China (130,000) followed by Sweden, Korea, Germany, Denmark, Japan and Finland.
Tourism had the capacity to assist the property/real estate industry because the growth of tourism was generating more resorts, and encouraging people to move to Phuket seeking jobs.
The circle of benefits extended beyond resort employees to service providers and vendors of all kinds, he said.
The downside was that tourism continued to be vulnerable and because of its sensitivity, was easily disrupted, he said.
The key negatives that had the potential to impact on Phuket are:
Politics. Even if a demonstration happens to be confined to Bangkok, the effects spread throughout Thailand to Phuket. [And generalised national travel alerts don't help.]
Disease. H1N1, swine flu, bird flu. Every potential plague has the capacity to plague the travel industry - and Phuket - very rapidly.
Natural disasters. Phuket has felt the effect of more than its share, from the 2004 tsunami on, even when not directly affected.
The other factor was rip-offs, he said, including not just ways in which tourists could be parted with their cash but also the violence that occasionally accompanied disputes.
The brighter future lay with increasing numbers of tourists, Khun Somboon said. In marketing terms, numbers from Indonesia were up 78 percent last year, with the disappearance of the departure tax, and with the Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore triangle more important to Phuket.
Promising as well is the Middle East, with numbers up 30 percent and more direct flights from Qatar Airways, Mehan Air in Iran, and other likely. India also held attractions, with 40,000 visitors to Phuket in 2010.
Domestic travellers were less likely to come, he said, because most Bangkokians preferred the destinations such as Hua Hin and Pattaya that they could reach in an easy drive from the capital.
Competition from Turkey, Greece and Spain in Europe was becoming more intense. One sign that Phuket needed to work harder came with the continuing defection of German tourists to Khao Lak and other places where the balance with nature was better, he said.
Latest Details have yet to emerge about a case in which well known Australian expat businessman Brendon Walters has been arrested over drugs.
Phuket Expat Aussie Businessman Held Over Drugs
Tuk-Tuk Tit-for-Tat: Knifed Aussies Fly Off Phuket to Beat Charge
Latest Two stabbed Aussies and their friends have flown off Phuket as a threat emerged to charge them in return for damage to a yellow tuk tuk. The Aussies say they are innocent of provocation.
Tuk-Tuk Tit-for-Tat: Knifed Aussies Fly Off Phuket to Beat Charge
Phuket Gains Strategic Aussie Advantage
Latest The first flight from Melbourne to Phuket by Aussie owned airline Strategic arrives on Phuket today, and the celebrations start soon after. Brisbane Phuket follows soon.
Phuket Gains Strategic Aussie Advantage
Aussie Media Damns Phuket's Jet-Ski Scams
News Analysis With damaging reports being published in Australia's leading news outlets, it's time for a real solution to Phuket's out of control jet ski scammers.
Aussie Media Damns Phuket's Jet-Ski Scams
Aussie Tourist 'Stole Sunglasses at Phuket Airport'
Latest An Australian tourist has been accused of stealing a pair of Rayban sunglasses from the duty free store at Phuket airport. The man was arrested in the departure lounge and is now in jail.
Aussie Tourist 'Stole Sunglasses at Phuket Airport'
The number of countries visiting Phuket is encouraging. To coin a positive analogy, If the proportion of countries were companies in an equity portfolio [anywhere in the world] then power to Phuket to know the balance of investments.
Most of the issues as reported in Phuket over the months seem to be related to cultural differences between Thais and Westerners. It is not surprising as Westerners arrive in Phuket with an inequitable amount of wealth relative to Thai people. The falang wallets exemplify the inequities of the East -West economic differences.
Thai tourism should be strong as the USA and Aussie dollar is still very strong encouraging vacations overseas.
Politics: Isolated demonstrations are quickly forgotten if there is no continuity...like a civil war!. Basically, no one wants to get killed on vacation.
Disease: Swine Flu vaccinations are free in Australia [including Swine Flu] Vaccinations are readily available under WHO recommendations. Travel industry pauses due to potential pandemics have been brief in the past.
Natural Disasters: Tourist nations contributed greatly to the tsunami disaster recovery and it is upon Phuket Wan to reiterate this.
Brighter Future: With the Australia Dollar above US Dollar parity and the relative ratio of Australians to Russians at almost 3:1 it will take a 300% increase to match and much more for other countries. India with 10% of the Aussie tourism is optimistic. The current Middle East instability will more likely see an influx of asylum seekers rather than tourists.
I am unsure of the interpretation of 'racism and rip-offs' as quoted in your article but the percentage of nations offering tourism should be considered and the cultural differences. What is the point if the 'Land of Smiles' if it no longer smiles.
Posted by Pe-Terr on April 4, 2011 21:10