Tough times ahead for Phuket tourism

The outlook for international tourist arrivals in Phuket during this year’s high season, which has already begun, remains bleak, according to a tourism industry leader on the popular Thai resort island.

The vice-president of the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA), Bhuritt Maswongsa, told a reporter from the Phuket Gazette that bookings and occupancy rates through the end of the year are likely to result in an average occupancy rate of 55 per cent, as compared with 80 per cent during the same months last year.

Maswongsa, who manages the Patong Beach Resort, cites the cause of the downturn as the significant drop in arrivals from the island’s traditional “bread-and-butter” European markets.

The anti-government demonstrations have added fears about security and the worsening global financial crisis are keeping Europeans from travelling to Thailand, he added.

Maswongsa went on to say: “Many countries still have travel advisories in effect, warning tourists not to visit areas where pro- and anti-government demonstrations are taking place. Also, the economic crisis in the US and Europe has caused potential tourists to delay or cancel their travel plans in order to save money.”

The association vice-president also predicted that many Phuket resorts and hotels will be laying off staff by mid-2009, due to the credit crunch and also the oversupply of rooms.

Thanks to www.travelmole.com for the above quotes, for more information about this article please visit their website.

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