Hotel room tax generates B65m

PHUKET: About 65 million baht in tax on hotel rooms was collected in Phuket in 2007, some 5 million baht more than expected, Anchalee Vanich Tephabutra, president of Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) has announced.

“Our target was 60 million baht. More tax was collected because we met with a large number of hotel operators and explained to them how the system of hotel-room tax works.

“In the past year, there have been many tourists from Europe, as well as new charter flight tourists from places including India and Dubai,” she said.

Hotels in Phuket are required by law to price their accommodations to include a 1% room tax. In the past, however, some hotel operators have defied paying the tax, citing a lack of clear information about what the money is used for.

“For 2008, we have set a target of 65 million baht again for hotel-room tax. We plan to meet with hotel operators more frequently to help them better understand the tax. Some hotels in Kata-Karon and Patong have yet to start paying the tax,” she added.

“The hotels that paid the tax will be invited to join our international road shows. We will take hotel representatives overseas to help promote Phuket as a tourist destination,” K. Anchalee said.

She added that the roadshows have generated much interest in Phuket. Through the increased number of tourists and the room tax collected, money has been generated to help develop Chalong Pier and to pay for lifeguards at Phuket beaches, she said.

Income generated in 2007 through tourism in Phuket was between 80 billion baht and 90 billion baht, K. Anchalee added.