The President of the Phuket Tourism Association says the sector is doing well, but there has been a noticeable, and not unexpected, drop in Israeli tourists. According to a report from the Phuket Express, Thanet Tantipiriya days despite many direct flights from Israel to Phuket, the number of Israeli arrivals has dropped by around 40% since the Hamas attack and subsequent war on Gaza.
Overall, Thanet says “things are looking up for the island”, with Phuket generating around 370 billion baht in tourism revenue over the last 8 months.
“There has been a 40% year-on-year increase in tourist numbers when compared to 2019 figures.”
(FACT CHECK: His statement is in conflict with the official numbers published by Phuket Immigration)
“About 80% of hotel rooms have been booked during this upcoming high season, especially hotels near beaches. The occupancy rate during the current Vegetarian Festival is about 67% to 74% in tourism areas.”
Asked about the proposal to extend the legal closing time for nightlife from 2am to 4am, Thanet says his association supports the move. However, the needs of residents need to be taken into consideration when deciding the areas where later opening hours would apply.
Thanet adds that in the past, Phuket has tried to choose between being a family-friendly island or a party island. Instead, he points out that the island has “something to offer everyone”. He says that it’s in the interest of both tourists and the island itself to accommodate both groups.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
