Data shows arrivals in Phuket doubled in last five years
One of Asia’s prime resort destinations, Phuket, has experienced a sustained upward growth cycle that has seen passenger arrivals nearly double over the past five years, new data has revealed.
As "Teflon Thailand" has experienced its ups and downs over in the political arena, air traffic has continued to flow to Bangkok’s two gateway airports and secondary airports such those at Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and |Koh Samui, Thailand-based consulting group C9 Hotelworks |said.
C9 said international passenger arrivals to Thailand increased 8 per cent last year compared to 2104, while domestically there was a 15-per-cent surge year on year, which in practical terms included a significant number of overseas travellers transiting Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.
The key tourism driver remained China, with arrivals rising a staggering 34 per cent last year compared to 2014.
C9 said that it was expected that the China market was on |the wane given the country’s economic woes and depreciating currency. But the reality was that many Chinese travellers who might have chosen long-haul trips to Europe, North America or Australia instead flocked to Thailand.
C9 managing director Bill Barnett said: "Location, location, location – the China syndrome has so much to do with door-to-door travel time fuelled by a rising number of low-cost airlines that use single-body aircraft.
"Another key factor remains a unique cultural connection and high esteem for brand Thailand on the mainland."
C9 said Phuket’s airlift was set to get a major boost this year with the slated opening of the new international airport terminal on the island in June.
It also said an affiliate of Thailand’s CP Group had |been awarded a Board of Investment concession for a Bt200-million private jet terminal on Phuket.
This is expected to further boost the island’s luxury sector, which was the best-performing hotel tier last year, demonstrated by a 17-per-cent increase in the average daily rate and a 24-per-cent jump in revenue per available room, the company said.
