PHUKET: The number of Chinese and Russians visiting Phuket has more than doubled in the first six months of the year, Phuket's new Tourism Authority of Thailand director said today.
Chanchai Doungjit told a meeting at Provincial Hall in Phuket City that the increase from those markets showed no sign of slowing.
Figures for 2011 for Phuket showed the holiday island had 743 resorts and hotels with 47,333 rooms.
The number of international flights to Phuket was up 28.3 percent while domestic flights were down five percent on latest figures.
He estimated that the Phuket contribution to Thailand's revenue would be 110 billion baht in 2012. Average daily expenditure for overseas visitors on Phuket in 2010 - the latest available - amounted to 4897.05 baht while Thais spent 2867.99, he said.
Here's the top 10 nation by nation for the first six months of 2012:
China up 106.63 percent to 142,582
Russia up 104.91 percent to 140,297
Australia up 19.29 percent to 121,916
South Korea up 29.53 percent to 102,021
Sweden up 24.91 percent to 80,427
Malaysia up 25.19 percent to 50,044
Singapore up 10.82 percent to 49,024
Finland up 20.49 percent to 42,649
Britain up 4.71 percent to 36,394
Germany up 2.62 percent to 33,512
Phuket International Airport officials announced on Friday that it's hoped the facility will reach 9.3 million arrivals and departures this year.
On those figures, estimates put the number of overseas tourists visiting Phuket this year at about 2.2 million.
Chanchai Doungjit told a meeting at Provincial Hall in Phuket City that the increase from those markets showed no sign of slowing.
Figures for 2011 for Phuket showed the holiday island had 743 resorts and hotels with 47,333 rooms.
The number of international flights to Phuket was up 28.3 percent while domestic flights were down five percent on latest figures.
He estimated that the Phuket contribution to Thailand's revenue would be 110 billion baht in 2012. Average daily expenditure for overseas visitors on Phuket in 2010 - the latest available - amounted to 4897.05 baht while Thais spent 2867.99, he said.
Here's the top 10 nation by nation for the first six months of 2012:
China up 106.63 percent to 142,582
Russia up 104.91 percent to 140,297
Australia up 19.29 percent to 121,916
South Korea up 29.53 percent to 102,021
Sweden up 24.91 percent to 80,427
Malaysia up 25.19 percent to 50,044
Singapore up 10.82 percent to 49,024
Finland up 20.49 percent to 42,649
Britain up 4.71 percent to 36,394
Germany up 2.62 percent to 33,512
Phuket International Airport officials announced on Friday that it's hoped the facility will reach 9.3 million arrivals and departures this year.
On those figures, estimates put the number of overseas tourists visiting Phuket this year at about 2.2 million.
Just wondering where the new influx of tourists will be fed and housed...? Sounds like a lot of people visiting an already over crowded Island during the high season...
Posted by Ted Davis on September 3, 2012 18:08