THE TRUE DEPTH of Phuket's tourism downturn in 2008 has emerged in latest flgures on arrivals and departures from Phuket International Airport.
Comparison between 2007 and 2008 reveals a 28 percent drop in flights for the month of August.
That downturn is continuing, with a drop of 22 percent in the number of flights in September so far, up to September 15.
Those figures indicate that the cost of aviation fuel was already having an effect before the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and the blockade of the island's airport over three days late last month.
Airport General Manager Wicha Nurnlop told Phuketwan that the drop in the number of passengers was even greater in the first half of September, with numbers down to 135, 980 from 184,345, a drop of 27 percent.
Resorts have provided varying occupancy levels to Phuketwan, with Patong holding up strongly and some individual resorts also doing well, against the downward trend.
Others, especially those dependent on the Asian market and conferences, are suffering a larger share of the downturn.
The figures from the airport are the first real proof of the scale and spread of the tourism fall.
It's also possible that the drop will vary from country to country, depending on the degree of anxiety.
About 190 cancelled flights had already been attributed to the airport blockade over the three days and continuing on into early September.
Wing Commander Wicha said there have been a total of 1310 flights in and out of Phuket between September 1 and September 17.
A total of 112 flights have been cancelled in that period, he said. Most of the cancelled flights were from China, Korea and Malaysia.
The key to the coming high season remains the next few weeks through to the end of October, when most bookings are made.
Many travel warnings by individual overseas governments are still in place despite the removal of the state of emergency for Bangkok.
Resort managers will be hoping that individual travellers ignore the warnings or come to their own conclusion about the risks involved in a Phuket holiday.
One Phuketwan reader in Canada said that he was happy to continue with his planned holiday.
''My wife and I are booked for 24 days in Phuket and surrounding areas, January 09,'' he told us.
''I was a little concerned earlier in the month, but it is obvious to us that Phuket is as safe as ever.
''And I can't see the airport having any more problems.
''We live in Vancouver and usually vacation in Mexico, which we know has its share of bad press. Never had a problem.
''We look forward to the land of smiles:)''
To put the current number of flights in and out of the island in perspective, it's necessary to note that a total of 38,368 domestic and international flights landed and took off from the airport in 2007.
That was an astonishing 32.34 percent increase on the previous year.
The present setback may be a correction that Phuket had to have in the face of setbacks to long-haul travel all over the world.
Comparison between 2007 and 2008 reveals a 28 percent drop in flights for the month of August.
That downturn is continuing, with a drop of 22 percent in the number of flights in September so far, up to September 15.
Those figures indicate that the cost of aviation fuel was already having an effect before the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok and the blockade of the island's airport over three days late last month.
Airport General Manager Wicha Nurnlop told Phuketwan that the drop in the number of passengers was even greater in the first half of September, with numbers down to 135, 980 from 184,345, a drop of 27 percent.
Resorts have provided varying occupancy levels to Phuketwan, with Patong holding up strongly and some individual resorts also doing well, against the downward trend.
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Others, especially those dependent on the Asian market and conferences, are suffering a larger share of the downturn.
The figures from the airport are the first real proof of the scale and spread of the tourism fall.
It's also possible that the drop will vary from country to country, depending on the degree of anxiety.
About 190 cancelled flights had already been attributed to the airport blockade over the three days and continuing on into early September.
Wing Commander Wicha said there have been a total of 1310 flights in and out of Phuket between September 1 and September 17.
A total of 112 flights have been cancelled in that period, he said. Most of the cancelled flights were from China, Korea and Malaysia.
The key to the coming high season remains the next few weeks through to the end of October, when most bookings are made.
Many travel warnings by individual overseas governments are still in place despite the removal of the state of emergency for Bangkok.
Resort managers will be hoping that individual travellers ignore the warnings or come to their own conclusion about the risks involved in a Phuket holiday.
One Phuketwan reader in Canada said that he was happy to continue with his planned holiday.
''My wife and I are booked for 24 days in Phuket and surrounding areas, January 09,'' he told us.
''I was a little concerned earlier in the month, but it is obvious to us that Phuket is as safe as ever.
''And I can't see the airport having any more problems.
''We live in Vancouver and usually vacation in Mexico, which we know has its share of bad press. Never had a problem.
''We look forward to the land of smiles:)''
To put the current number of flights in and out of the island in perspective, it's necessary to note that a total of 38,368 domestic and international flights landed and took off from the airport in 2007.
That was an astonishing 32.34 percent increase on the previous year.
The present setback may be a correction that Phuket had to have in the face of setbacks to long-haul travel all over the world.
Having visited Phuket for over 20 years and seen the slide from a beautiful island with great people to a beautiful island with great people being spoilt by hordes of massing tourists, it is obvious who is to blame---the tourist authority for targeting the low-end of the market after the Tsunami, purely to increase visitor numbers. I know of many Europeans who were devoted fans who will not return after the shambles created by too many visitors and an inadequate infrastructure. Quite simply Phuket cannot survive as a "mass destination" resort, but already it is too late.
Posted by The Hillsmith Family. on November 19, 2008 13:08