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Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand's largest island and situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. The tropical climate with mild weather throughout the year and lovely sea beaches acts as magnet for the tourists. As a result the has always been on the boom.
The hotel resort market of Phuket might have gone through a low time during the global slowdown, but as soon as the markets bounced back, the hotel market seems to be back to buzzing. The term 'low season' may no longer be applicable, based on visitor arrivals in the past several months. When tourist spots in other region of the world are experiencing a low phase, the hotels in Phuket are brimming with tourists.
With the season of festivals, there had been a huge amount of footfall in the place witnessing people from all around the globe. With the summer season just around the corner, this number is bound to increase. People from middle-east and other warm places have already made their bookings in the hotels of the place. These hotels play host to people from other countries such as Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and China. Australian visitors are also increasingly choosing Phuket as their holiday destination over Bali.
The number of arrivals at Phuket International Airport is projected to reach up to 5 million passengers this year, with a projected annual growth of 5%-10% for the next three years.
Not deterred by Thailand's internal issues, Phuket remains the pinnacle of the South-East Asian resort market. The island continues to draw substantial interested tourists compared to other resort destinations in the region. Destinations such as Krabi and Phang Nga also have the potential to become part of greater Phuket. Phang Nga is now established as an extension of Phuket as a result of its proximity to the Phuket International Airport and new resort developments such as the Raffles Phang Nga.
The continued desirability of Phuket has drawn in a number of high caliber local developers who are keeping the resort market active with new villas and condominium projects. Most of these three and four-bedroom villas can boast of direct sea frontage and they also benefit from full access to hotel services such as restaurant, spa and a beach club. The booming market of Phuket is also attracting a large number of international hotel brands.
Resort market in Phuket has much more to offer to the tourists through new projects. A new marina in Ao Po on Phuket's east coast is under construction, while Ripley's Entertainment is planning the largest aquarium in South-East Asia. There are also plans to construct an 'Aquapark' in Phuket which will offer water activities, shops and restaurants. In addition, the site for the Phuket International Convention and Exhibition Centre is currently being finalized and will be completed within one year. |
