Airport figures don’t support gloom

PHUKET: In the midst of tales of gloom from Phuket’s retail and hotel sectors, the April figures from Phuket International Airport show a small rise (0.79 percent) in the total number of passengers arriving and departing. There was a hefty 24 percent rise in international travelers, from 76,528 last year to 94,750 this April. This was offset by a fall of 7.68 percent in domestic travelers, from 208,000 passengers in April 1998 to 192,033 this year. Cargo throughput increased from 1,297 tons to 1,462, a rise of 12.72 percent.