Phuket is experiencing a resurgence in tourism, with the number of visitors to the island reaching nearly 50% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Office in Phuket, Nantasiri Ronsiri.
According to the local TAT office, from January to December 2022, Phuket saw 9.26 million visitors, with 53.6% being domestic tourists and 46.4% being international tourists.
Ms. Ronsiri noted that foreign tourists contributed 70% of the entire revenue, while Thai tourists accounted for around 20%. The top 10 countries in terms of the number of arrivals to Phuket over the last year were Russia, India, Australia, England, Singapore, Germany, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and the US.
The arrival numbers, published by Phuket Immigration, from November 1, 2022 – January 26, 2023, show the huge ratio of Russian vs other nationalities arriving in Thailand.
| 1 | Russia | 249332 |
| 2 | India | 84075 |
| 3 | UK | 45543 |
| 4 | Australia | 44657 |
| 5 | Kazakhstan | 44039 |
| 6 | Singapore | 37575 |
| 7 | Germany | 33783 |
| 8 | Malaysia | 28096 |
| 9 | USA | 22334 |
| 10 | South Korea | 24332 |
| 11 | Sweeden | 20460 |
| 12 | France | 19234 |
| 13 | Israel | 14682 |
| 14 | China | 12659 |
| 15 | Finland | 10999 |
| 16 | Italy | 10301 |
| 17 | Denmark | 9729 |
| 18 | Hongkong | 9053 |
| 19 | Switzerland | 8938 |
| 20 | Poland | 8696 |
| 21 | Thailand | 7211 |
| 22 | South Africa | 6478 |
| 23 | Uzbekistan | 3245 |
| 24 | Canada | 5696 |
| 25 | vietnam | 5459 |
“It is surprising to see Kazakhstan and America on the list, as a large group of Kazakh tourists generally choose to land and stay in Phuket for a few days before taking a trip to other destinations, such as Bangkok or Samui island.”
“As for Thai tourists, many chose to visit Phuket over the New Year’s Day period, but foreign tourists still outnumbered them. In the middle of January, 2023, Phuket welcomed three flights from China, which mostly carried business people. However, large Chinese tour groups are expected to arrive in Phuket as soon as they receive visas.”
The hotel occupancy rate in Phuket is currently at about 80%, with some places reaching 90-95%.
“But some hotels are not fully open yet, as they lack the funds to restart their operations.”
It is estimated that there are around 30% of Phuket’s hotels and businesses still closed.
Ms. Ronsiri stated that the objective for 2023 is to attract a minimum of 12 million international and domestic tourists to Phuket, while the overall target for Thailand is to welcome 23 million visitors.
