Phuket Rakes In US$26 Million Over Thailand New Year

Online, April 20, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Phuket, Thailand: In the aftermath of a busy Songkran (new year in Thailand), tourism chiefs in Phuket have been doing their sums to assess just how successful the festive season actually was.

Officials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) reported that hotel occupancy during the holiday period averaged seventy percent across the Island.

Resort hotels in popular beach areas such as Bang Tao, Surin, Kamala, Patong, Karon and Kata reported occupancy rates of up to ninety percent, whilst Phuket Town reported approximately fifty percent occupancy.

Director of the TAT's regional office in Phuket Town estimated that 800 million baht (US$26 million) in revenue was generated during the peak period.

Around eight thousand tourists flocked to Phuket to enjoy the Thai New Year festivities. They were able to take part in a range of special events on offer during the four day celebration, including Phuket Bike Week, special beach activities in Patong and an Ice Songkran Festival in Phuket Town.

Looking forward, the Tourism Authority of Thailand hopes that occupancy rates will remain high following Songkran, as new direct flights are introduced over the next few months from Perth, Australia to Phuket (Thai Airways), Hong Kong to Phuket (Hong Kong Airlines) and Burma to Phuket(Air Bagan).

As the high season for tourism in Thailand draws to a close TAT, in conjunction with hotels, resorts and local businesses, are making efforts to promote Thailand as an all year round destination.

To this end, TAT has decided to rename the 'low season' in Phuket to the 'green season'.

Perhaps tourists will be lured to the island during the 'green season'?

Personally, I think renaming it the 'Hot Season' would have been better, but that's just the marketer in me talking.

Rebecca Smith
Phuket Ocean Villas
http://www.phuketoceanvillas.com

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