LATEST ACCOMMODATION figures for 2007 reflect a dramatic rise in the number of overseas visitors to Phuket, with Australians, Britons and Koreans leading the way.
The statistics, released by TAT Phuket to phuketwan.com, also show that the number of rooms available on the island has risen by 14 percent to 37,543 rooms at 628 establishments, up from 552 the previous year.
In the nine months from January to September, guest arrivals nudged three million, up nine percent to 2,873,817.
This indicates that 2007 will rival or eclipse the record year of 2004, when 4.2 million guests arrived. In 2005, post-tsunami, numbers dropped to 1.9 million.
The following year, 2006, numbers bounced back to 3.7 million.
And better days looked to be ahead during the present November-April 2007-2008 high season, with arrivals for the July-September quarter up more than 20 percent on 2006 to 905,124.
The average length of stay also extended slightly, from 3.51 days to 3.58 days over the nine months.
Country-by-country figures reflect what Phuket residents have already gleaned from listening to the accents around the island. Australians are coming in record numbers, and so too are the Russians.
In the nine months to September, the TAT tracked 275,275 Aussies, up more than 70 percent on the previous year. This put them easily at number one among visitors, largely thanks to competitive fares and direct flights.
Second were the British at 212,884, up 58 percent, with the Koreans third at 164,283, a drop of 9.8 percent.
In descending order then came China (130,019) Sweden (121,242) Germany (99,613) Japan (89,528) Russia (78,027 and up 52 percent) Malaysia (63,210) and US (63,028 up 5.8 percent).
Of the total number of visitors to September, 2,079,193 were foreign (up 13.12 percent) with Thai numbers stable at 794,624.
Look for more TOURISM TRENDS on Phuketwan regularly.
The statistics, released by TAT Phuket to phuketwan.com, also show that the number of rooms available on the island has risen by 14 percent to 37,543 rooms at 628 establishments, up from 552 the previous year.
In the nine months from January to September, guest arrivals nudged three million, up nine percent to 2,873,817.
This indicates that 2007 will rival or eclipse the record year of 2004, when 4.2 million guests arrived. In 2005, post-tsunami, numbers dropped to 1.9 million.
The following year, 2006, numbers bounced back to 3.7 million.
And better days looked to be ahead during the present November-April 2007-2008 high season, with arrivals for the July-September quarter up more than 20 percent on 2006 to 905,124.
The average length of stay also extended slightly, from 3.51 days to 3.58 days over the nine months.
Country-by-country figures reflect what Phuket residents have already gleaned from listening to the accents around the island. Australians are coming in record numbers, and so too are the Russians.
In the nine months to September, the TAT tracked 275,275 Aussies, up more than 70 percent on the previous year. This put them easily at number one among visitors, largely thanks to competitive fares and direct flights.
Second were the British at 212,884, up 58 percent, with the Koreans third at 164,283, a drop of 9.8 percent.
In descending order then came China (130,019) Sweden (121,242) Germany (99,613) Japan (89,528) Russia (78,027 and up 52 percent) Malaysia (63,210) and US (63,028 up 5.8 percent).
Of the total number of visitors to September, 2,079,193 were foreign (up 13.12 percent) with Thai numbers stable at 794,624.
Look for more TOURISM TRENDS on Phuketwan regularly.
