Phuket Sandbox: 14,055 foreign tourists visited in July
Phuket welcomed 14,055 foreign tourists who reserved a total of 190,843 room nights from July 1 to 31, according to Tourism and Sports Ministry statistics on the province’s sandbox programme published on Tuesday.
The top five countries from which foreign visitors arrived during the period were the United States (1,802), followed by the United Kingdom (1,558), Israel (1,455), Germany (847) and France (839).
In the past month, Phuket earned THB829 million from tourists, including THB282 million for accommodation, THB194 million from tourism related products and services, THB124 million from medical or health related services, and THB54 million from other services, the ministry’s statistics showed.
Each foreign tourist spent on average THB58,982 throughout the visit.
The ministry’s economic division estimated that tourist spending in the province in the past month will help generate up to THB1.92 billion of rotating revenue in the local economy both inside and outside the tourism sector, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and energy.
The division also estimated that tourist spending would help increase the province’s GDP by THB816 million, generate more than 2,700 jobs for locals and increase workers’ salaries by a total THB210 million.
The government can expect to collect an additional THB87 million in taxes from all kinds of economic activities in Phuket thanks to the sandbox programme, the division added.
The scheme reopened Phuket to foreign visitors from July 1, aiming to rehabilitate the local tourism industry.
Vaccinated tourists can fly into Phuket and move around freely in the province without having to quarantine. After spending 14 days in Phuket and if they still tested negative, they could then travel to other parts of Thailand.