Phuket welcomes 2024 with soaring tourist numbers and an 8 billion baht boost

Thailand’s famed island paradise of Phuket has just witnessed an impressive upswing in tourist numbers over the new year break. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office has confirmed that the island has welcomed a remarkable 265,000 visitors, contributing more than 8 billion baht to the local economy.

The head of the TAT Phuket office, Lertchai Wangtrakuldee, provided these details, stating that the island’s international airport had been especially busy during the period. Over four days, from last Friday to yesterday, January 1, the airport recorded more than 600 arrivals.

The influx of tourists came from both international and domestic flights. Lertchai said that there were 333 international flights, averaging 83 flights per day, which brought in 63,836 inbound passengers. This meant a daily average of around 15,959 people coming in from overseas destinations.

Moreover, domestic tourism also saw a boost, with 271 flights, or 68 per day, bringing in 36,026 inbound passengers. This equated to an average of 9,006 people arriving on Phuket’s sunny shores each day from elsewhere in Thailand.

To assess the impact of this surge in tourists on the island’s accommodation sector, the TAT conducted a survey of accommodation operators across all major tourist areas on the island. The survey covered 30% of each area, encompassing a total of 101,556 rooms at 1,890 hotels.

The results of the survey were encouraging for the local hospitality industry. Hotels and other guest accommodations reported an average occupancy rate of 81.69%, and guests stayed for an average of 3.62 days.

In total, the new year holiday period resulted in a staggering 265,835 visitors making their way to Phuket. The revenue generated by these visitors amounted to B8.348 billion, providing a significant boost to the island’s tourism-dependent economy.

For locals and tourism operators alike, these figures are undoubtedly a welcome indication of a prosperous start to the year, and a sign of the enduring appeal of Phuket as a top holiday destination, reported Phuket News.