Firefly will increase flights from Penang to Phuket to daily this March, up from the current four weekly services.

Owned by Malaysia Airlines, the small regional airline uses an ATR 72 with 70 seats on the Penang-Phuket route.

From its Penang hub the airline serves two international routes to Banda Aceh in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand, while serving domestic routes to Langkawi and Kota Bharu.

Daily services on the route to Phuket will be effective 25 March and continue for the duration of the summer timetable that ends 31 October, according to Airlineroute timetable information.

During early April, the airline is quoting a one-way fare of MYR299 for the one-hour and 15 minute flight. Daily flights depart Penang at 1405. The service is popular with expatriates resident on Phuket island who need renew their visa at the Thai consulate in Penang.

Registered as FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd and operating as Firefly since 2007, it claims to be the Malaysia’s first community airline.

Just over 300,000 Chinese tourists will visit Thailand to celebrate Chinese New Year, the Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced earlier this week.

Basing its estimates on flights and booking trends, 15 to 21 February, the ministry said 888,472 foreigners would visit the country of which 304,192 would be Chinese tourists, up by around 20% when compared with the Chinese New Year week in 2017.

During the Chinese New Year holiday, 20,677 flights will serve routes between China and Thailand, an increase of 6% over last year’s festive season.

The increase is driven by new flights that originate in second tier two cities in China and fly package tour groups to secondary cities in Thailand.

Minister of Tourism and Sports, Weerasak Kowsurat, says he wants to reduce the concentration of tourists visiting popular destinations such as Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket.

Around 90% of all Chinese tourists continue to travel to Bangkok, Chonburi (Pattaya), Phuket and Chiang Mai, with just 10% visiting secondary destinations such as Chiang Rai, and Samui.

Government departments including the Immigration Bureau have recruited volunteers to provide information to Chinese travellers at airports including interpreters to process visas-on-arrival, VAT refunds, while security has been beefed up with patrols and checks on water transport.

The visa-on-arrival counters at airports will be crowded this week with long-delays for thousands of Chinese tourists, who did not gain a visa before they left home. There have been calls to replace the cumbersome visa-on-arrival with a practical online e-visa, prepaid by a credit card. Myanmar has the most practical and user-friendly online visa service of all the ASEAN neighbours, while Thailand has lagged behind its neighbours. An  e-visa would cut costs, be more user friendly, still give immigration officials the opportunity to check blacklists and reduce queues and congestion at airports.

During the week 15 to 21 February tourism receipts on the estimated 888,472 foreign tourist visits could reach around THB48,452 million. Of that total, 304,192 Chinese visitors should generate earnings of THB15,978 million.

The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office has announced the 3rd Phuket City of Gastronomy campaign from February – March that will take place on three occasions at different locations across Phuket.

They held a media event at Limelight Avenue mall to announce the third year of the Phuket City of Gastronomy yesterday (February 7).

The first event of Phuket City of Gastronomy will take place from February 21 – 23 joining the 19th Chinese New Year and Phuket Old Town Festival at the Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Road.

The second event will be set on March 2 – 4 in Jungceylon mall in Patong to reach out to more tourists in the area.

The third one will take place on March 24 – 26 at Limelight Avenue mall in Phuket Town.

Each of them will feature at least 30 delicious food stalls featuring authentic Phuket cuisine.

PHOTOS: pkru.ac.th

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today kicked-off nationwide celebrations to usher in the Chinese New Year of the Dog, in collaboration with long-standing partners, the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand. The lunar New Year celebrations will be held from 13-23 February, 2018, with an exciting lineup of events for both locals and visitors to enjoy.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “With millions of Thais of Chinese descent, Chinese New Year has always been a time to celebrate with the family and togetherness across Thailand. This year, locals and international visitors are invited to join in 13 major official celebrations nationwide, each of which is home to large, established Chinese communities,with spectacular food and cultural performances taking centre stage.

“The People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Thailand have long enjoyed deep relations, with 2018 marking the 43rd anniversary of diplomatic ties, and Chinese New Year celebrations being held by TAT, the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand since 2003.”

Highlights of the celebrations include a New Year greeting ceremony held with high-level ministers on 15 February, to further strengthen the strong relationship between Thailand and China. The ceremony will take place at the China Cultural Centre, and will be led by H.E. Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and H.E. Mr. Yang Zhijin, Deputy Minister of Culture from the People’s Republic of China.

An official opening ceremony of the Chinese New Year celebrations in Yaowarat – the historic home to Bangkok’s Chinese community – on 16 February, will be presided over by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and will feature Thailand-China cultural exchange performances by 135 performers from nine provinces in China, including Fujian, Hainan, Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Zhejiang, Hunan, Shanxi and Hubei. Highlights include traditional Chinese dances and music, martial arts, acrobatic performances and Chinese opera puppets. The cultural exchange performances will then tour to Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Songkhla (Hat Yai) and Phuket.

Locals and international visitors can also enjoy a celebration of food culture. Fresh from cooking at the recent G20 Summit in Hangzhou, a renowned Zhejiang province chef from the World Federation of China Catering Industry will be on hand to create Southern Chinese delicacies that are fused with flavours familiar to Thai palates. A cooking demonstration will also be held to mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year, when families traditionally gather to enjoy food and being together.

Official Chinese New Year celebrations supported by TAT will be held in the following destinations:
Photharam Chinatown Chinese New Year, Ratchaburi, on 5-14 February
Pak Nam Pho Chinese New Year, Nakhon Sawan, on 9-20 February
Chinese New Year, Phetchaburi, on 15-17 February
16th Chiang Mai Chinatown Chinese New Year, on 16-17 February
Yaowarat Chinatown Chinese New Year, on 16-17 February
Suphan Buri Chinese New Year, on 16-17 February
Chinese New Year, Trang, on 16-18 February
Chinese New Year, Nakhon Ratchasima, on 16-18 February
Udon Thani Chinese New Year, on 16-18 February
Chinese New Year, Songkhla (Hat Yai), on 16-19 February
Chinese New Year, Chon Buri (Pattaya), on 16-25 February
Ancient Capital Miracle Chinese New Year, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, on 17-22 February
Phuket Chinese New Year and Old Town Festival, on 21-23 February

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) today officially expanded the ‘SAVE the Ocean & SAVE for your dive’ campaign to the iconic southern island paradise of Phuket, offering divers the chance to earn discounts on dive trips, accommodation, and restaurants, in return for helping to protect Thailand’s marine ecosystem. The initiative follows on the success of the ‘Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand’ project in Ko Samet and the Eastern Seaboard.

The opening ceremony of the ‘Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand in Phuket’ was held at the world’s famous Patong Beach. H.E. Mr. Weerasak Kowsurat (above picture, centre), Minister of Tourism and Sports, presided over the ceremony, and joined hands with distinguished guests, celebrities and volunteers to clean the coastline of the Andaman Sea along Patong, Nai Harn, and Nai Yang Beaches.

As Thailand’s largest island, Phuket boasts verdant jungle that rolls on to hundreds of kilometres of coastline with a large number of dive sites making it the perfect next stop for ‘Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand’.

Under the ‘SAVE the Ocean & SAVE for your dive’ campaign, participating operators and dive sites are located all across the resort destination of Phuket, ‘Pearl of the Andaman Sea’.

Interested divers are encouraged to take part by following just three easy steps: First, they need to inform a participating dive operator that they would like to join the project. The dive operator will then give them a special rubbish collection bag. Second, divers collect rubbish while enjoying their dive, and return the bag to receive a stamp on their ‘Diving Passport’. Third, they can use the stamp to redeem special discounts on their next dive trip with a participating dive operator.

During their dive, participating divers are encouraged to practice their buoyancy control while also being careful to maintain the fragile ecosystem they are helping to protect; for example, when removing fishing nets from coral, it is best to use scissors to carefully trim the net and not pull it in such a way that will cause the coral to break.

The ‘SAVE the Ocean & SAVE for your dive’ campaign is part of ‘Upcycling the Oceans, Thailand’. a project that is a collaboration between TAT, PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) and the Ecoalf Foundation, which aims to not only transform plastic debris found in the ocean into thread to make fabric, but also to preserve the Kingdom’s crystal clear sea and unspoiled coastal areas.

Later in 2018, the project will be expanded further to Ko Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.

For more information, and for a list of participating dive operators, visit www.utodive.com.

Thailand’s four distinct regions each has its own delicious cuisine that is the hallmark of the country’s tourism gastronomy and rich culinary history.

The amazing diversity of Thai cuisine makes Thailand one of the most exciting countries in the world to visit. Thai cuisine encompasses dishes from four distinct regions: the Central Plains, the North, Northeast and the South. The unifying factor is the way each uses spicy, sour, sweet and salty flavours to create vibrant and balanced tastes. Key ingredients include the ubiquitous chili, which is used to add fire to almost every dish. Lime juice and tamarind provide the sour taste while sweetness often comes from palm sugar. The salty flavour is added using fish sauce, known as Nam Pla (fish sauce), Kapi (shrimp paste) or in the landlocked Northeast fermented fish known as Pla Ra.

Thais’ love of eating together is perhaps best illustrated by the frequently heard greeting, Kin Khao Reu Yang (‘Have you eaten yet?’) is the English equivalent to ‘How are you?’. Make sure to read what follows on a full stomach, as it is sure to illicit hunger pains…

Northeast Region

Thailand’s Northeast Region, or Isan, is famous for its grilled meats, sticky rice, strong fermented salads and heaped plates of fresh vegetables and herbs. Popular in all four regions of Thailand, Northeast cuisine is also the centrepiece of the country’s gastronomy tourism push and is particularly popular with first-time visitors. It’s also the easiest regional variety to find outside of the region (or overseas) because Isan workers export their food with them when employed away from home. And it’s all about a balance of flavours and tastes.

Spicy, sweet, sour and salty will all be represented on the Isan kitchen table.  The most famed and succulent dishes include Kai Yang (barbecued chicken), served with sweet sauce and sticky glutinous rice, Som Tam (green papaya salad) concocted with mortar and pestle poundings, augmented often with salted egg or small crabs, Lap (spicy ground meat or fish) salads flavoured with lime and mint, grilled pork neck and super spicy sausage. Tasty edible insects are another Isan staple that are a favourite snack for its rice farmers.

Northern Region

Also known as Lanna cuisine, visitors to Chiang Mai fall in love with their first bite of the delicious Khao Soi (curried noodles). Flavour and texture contrasts dominate a red and yellow coconut curried broth, and crunchy noodles are piled on top of the soft noodles with succulent chicken leg meat layered underneath it. There is more to Northern Thai cuisine, however, than Khao Soi.

Influenced by the countries that share a border with the North, delicious foods; such as, Kaeng Hung Le (spiced curry), Khanom Chin Nam Ngiao (spicy rice noodles), Kaeng Khanun On (unripe jackfruit curry) and Kaeng Hoa (fried curry) proudly show off the region’s vibrant flavours. Visit during mid-March to April, you can try Kaeng Phak Wan Kai Mot Daeng (vegetable soup with ant eggs), which is considered a luxurious rare food.

Best to start the meal with local Hors D’oeuvres – Nam Phrik Ong / Nam Phrik Num (chilli dips), Sai Ua (Northern curried sausage) and Khaep Mu (crispy pork rind) served with an assortment of lightly boiled vegetables.

Southern Region

Perhaps the least well known and understood of Thailand’s regional cuisine, Southern Thai food is characterised by its spice and sharpness. Its curries and flavour profiles are the most powerful, with the heat of the chilli as well as sour tamarind.

Just like the North, Southern Thai cuisine shares flavours from its neighbours, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia. A large Muslim populace, along with many fishing fleets, are the major influences Southern Thai cuisine is based heavily around seafood and meats and uses lots of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves for flavour. Staples include Kaeng Tai Pla (fermented fish curry), Kaeng Som Pla (hot and sour fish soup), and Kua Kling (dry fried meat curry).  Massaman, a stewed curry of meat and potatoes, is another key specialty.

Central Region

Cuisine from Thailand’s Central Region probably comes closest to what visitors view as ‘Thai’ food, with well-known dishes; such as, Phat Thai and curry pastes involving the staple ingredients of chillies, garlic, galangal, lemongrass and shrimp paste. Bangkok is at the heart of the area, with its paddy fields, plentiful river fish and fertile soil for crops.

The Central Region is also home to jasmine rice, a top Thai export using for cooking around the globe. It’s also the birthplace of Kaeng Khiao Wan (green curry), and the equally loved Tom Yam Kung (hot and sour shrimp soup). Som Tam salad also has a Central Region variation using brined shrimp to enhance the flavour.

To the untrained eye, much of Thailand’s regional cuisine may be difficult to distinguish from each other. However, by following this guide, visitors can get the most out of Thai cuisine and appreciate the rich diversity of Thailand’s gastronomy and geography through its delicious food.

Phuket in the largest island in Thailand and home to several of Thailand’s top golf courses

There has never been a better time to play golf in Asia than now and Thailand has emerged as one of the top choices for golf lovers.

In Thailand you are spoilt when it comes to choosing the golf courses you would like to play and its best to try and focus on one region of the country at a time to get the most out of your golf holiday.

The island of Phuket in the largest in Thailand and is therefore home to several of Thailand’s top golf courses.  Deciding where to start your Phuket golf holiday can be tricky thanks to the wealth of options but using our Phuket Golf Map will help you plan your trip and get the most out of your time when playing golf on the island.

There are two road bridges which cross the Andaman Sea and connect Phuket to the mainland, one of these is likely to be your entry point to the island unless you have flown directly to the international airport.  However, before we start planning your Phuket golf map, you must be aware of the climate in Phuket.

Phuket has a hot climate and the weather is always warm, especially by European and North American standards.  However, the cooler and drier of the warm weather can be enjoyed between November and February and if you want to have the best chance of being on the golf course every day when in Phuket, that’s the best time to visit.

You can play plenty of golf at other times of the year too.  Be prepared it will be very hot between March and May and if you enjoy hot weather then great but otherwise, you are better off trying to plan your trip for the months between November and February.

So, when planning a Phuket golf map, where is the best place to start on the island?

Blue Canyon Country Club

The Canyon Course was the venue for Tiger Woods’ 1998 Asian victory and home to the Johnnie Walker Classic

Looking at the map, we suggest starting in the north of the island and this is where you will find Blue Canyon Country Club.  Rated as not only one of the best golf clubs in Phuket but the whole of Thailand, Blue Canyon Country Club is a great place to begin on a Phuket golf map thanks to the choice of two golf courses and the facilities.  It’s a great introduction to playing golf in Phuket.

As mentioned above, Blue Canyon Country club is situated in the north of Phuket, close to Phuket airport and you can easily reach the golf club with a comfortable transfer following your flight.  Once at the club, you have a choice of two golf courses to play during your stay.

Perhaps the best known of the two courses in the Canyon Course, as this was the venue for Tiger Woods’ 1998 Asian victory and home to the Johnnie Walker Classic.  If you would like to test the accuracy of your game off the tee, the Canyon Course is the perfect place as it is home to narrow fairways, making the placement of tee shots very important.  The greens are also very quick and you will want to land your approach shots as close to the pin as possible to avoid the dreaded three-putt.

Many visitors regard the stretch holes between the 11^th and the 15^th to be the best in Thailand, if not Asia and they live long in the memory thanks to the canyon, water and island greens.

Having enjoyed the Canyon Course why not stay and play another round at Blue Canyon Golf Club but this time play the Lakes Course?

The Lakes Course is also close to the airport and makes a great choice for when you have just arrived at the island or you are leaving.  As the name suggests, water plays a big role on this golf course and there are many approach shots over creeks, lakes and streams, so leaving yourself in a good position is vital for a low score.

Look out for the 18^th hole, which is regarded by many as being the best finishing hole in Thailand.

Mission Hills Phuket Golf Club Resort and Spa

The large white sand bunkers and manicured fairways contrast nicely with the sea to provide a stunning course on the eye

Working your way south and towards the east coast of the islands on your Phuket golf map, you will find Mission Hills Phuket Golf Club Resort and Spa.

This golf course is only 30 minutes away from Patong beach, so if you wanted a day to relax following the excitement of Blue Canyon, you do not have to travel far for your next round of golf.

Mission Hills Phuket Golf Club Resort and Spa offers tremendous ocean views for almost every hole on the course and the large white sand bunkers and manicured fairways contrast nicely with the sea to provide a stunning course on the eye.

However, as you would expect from a golf course located so close to the ocean in Asia, water does come into play on several holes and the wind can pick up at any time, which can add to the difficulty level of the course.

Mission Hills Phuket Golf Club Resort and Spa provides a good test of golf but you will also find yourself grasping at your camera to take shots of the lovely views as you play your way around the course.

Laguna Phuket Golf Club

Recently re-designed and re-furbished this is a perfect resort course and a perfect challenge for all golfers.

Your next stop of this exciting Phuket golf map is to cross over to the west cost of the island and head south to play a round at Laguna Golf Phuket.

You can enjoy the lovely views of Bang Tao Bay plus the surrounding hills and marshlands, which combine to create a picturesque backdrop to the course.  The fairways are wide and this makes them easier to hit than many others on the island but with undulating putting surfaces and mounding on the fairways, accuracy is just as important as distance.You will not find many bunkers at Laguna Golf Phuket but those that are there have been placed in their position for a reason, making them dangerous.

With great facilities and easy to reach from central Phuket, Laguna Golf Phuket is a great addition to any Phuket golf map.

Loch Palm Golf Club

Loch Palm Golf Club is a favourite with local golfers with panoramic views of the jungle and hills around you

Our next stop of this Phuket golf map is in the centre of the island and here you are spoilt for choice when it comes to top quality golf courses.  There are three excellent golf courses from which to choose, starting with the northern most of the three which is Loch Palm Golf Club.

Loch Palm Golf Club is a favourite with local golfers and it’s easy to see why when you arrive to play 18 holes of golf with panoramic views of the jungle and hills around you.  As the name suggests, there are plenty of palm trees around this golf course but they do not overcrowd the course and only come into play if you are wayward in your direction off the tee or miss the green on approach.

However, water does come into play regularly at Loch Palm Golf Club and again, with the word ‘loch’ in the name of the course, it is little surprise to see a large lake in the centre of the course.  The 18 holes work their way around the centrepiece and the fairways of several holes run alongside the water.

The water cuts across some of the front nine fairways and if you have a fear of playing shots over water, this is a great place to come and get over those fears because you have no choice but to cross the water.  The back nine holes are tighter and more undulating and the green on the par-3 14^th hole is surrounded by water, so accuracy is key.

Remaining in the centre of the Phuket golf map and not far away from Loch Palm Golf Club, you will find the spectacular Red Mountain Golf Club.

For many visitors, a golf trip to Phuket is not complete without a round of golf at Red Mountain and you are missing out on a real treat if you do not add this golf club to your Phuket golf map.

Red Mountain Golf Club

Red Mountain Golf Club is a must-play when on Phuket and is recommended for any golfer travelling to Thailand

Located conveniently between Patong and Karon beaches, Red Mountain Golf Club is set in a dramatic landscape of red rock and thick jungle.  The course is full of changes in undulation and is the hilliest course on the island.

The area is an abandoned tin mine and you will find water filled canyons, large cliffs and tremendous views from what is the highest golf course in Phuket.  In addition to the significant elevation changes, you will find water, wind and the differing sizes and undulations of the greens testing your golf game to its maximum.

However, the caddies at Red Mountain are full of great advice and if you listen and take the correct course of action, low scores are possible.  Even if you do not hit the heights in terms of your score on other courses in Phuket, you will still have a fantastic time playing this golf course.

Red Mountain Golf Club is a must-play when on Phuket and is recommended for any golfer travelling to Thailand.

Phuket Country Club

This was the first championship standard golf course to be built on Phuket and is still a fimr favourite

Located further south on the island than Red Mountain but still in the centre of the island, you will find Phuket Country Club.

Thanks to being so close to Red Mountain and Loch Palm Golf Club on our Phuket Golf Map, you can easily add Phuket Country Club to your holiday itinerary.

This was the first championship standard golf course to be built on Phuket and thanks to being centrally located, it is easily reached from anywhere on the island.  If you have never played golf abroad before or it is your first time playing golf in Thailand, Phuket Country Club is a great place to start.

You are guaranteed a good welcome from the staff and the course is not difficult in comparison to some of the others on Phuket.  However, beginner golfers will still find it a challenge but wayward shots are not severely punished which means you can remain confident in your shots off the tee and play attacking golf.

Phuket Country Club is home to the most famous hole in Phuket, which is the 10^th hole and it features a large lake which the fairway bends around in a ‘U’ shape.  You must decide how much of the water you would like to take on when playing your tee shot and it really is a test of nerve.  Do you back yourself and go straight for the green in one shot or should you play it safe and lay up?

Phuket Country Club is a great addition to every Phuket golf map.

So, when planning a golf holiday to Phuket, why not use this Phuket golf map as a guide to get the best out of your playing time on the island.  You can work your way from north to south, vice-versa or base yourself centrally and enjoy all of Phuket’s golf courses from one place.

The choice is yours.

Thailand closed 2017 with 35.38 million arrivals after December registered a record 3.5 million visits that generated an estimated THB1.9 trillion in revenue for the economy.

The tally is based on foreign arrivals logged by the Immigration Bureau at airports, land or river/sea border checkpoints, nationwide. and based on a minimum of an overnight stay.

Ministry of Tourism permanent secretary, Pongpanu Svetarundra, met with the media, Tuesday, to confirm the 2017 annual count, although provisional estimates released in mid-December already indicated visits would pass the 35 million mark.

Foreign arrivals in December increased 15.51% to reach 3,535,594 with, 2,181,686 originating in East Asia.

The other top source markets by region were Europe, South Asia, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa,

Travel from the East Asian region grew by 21.80% due to the recovery of China’s outbound travel business.

The top 10 country  markets were China, Malaysia, Korea, Laos, Japan, India, Russia, the United States, Singapore and the United Kingdom, although of them supplying in excess of 1 million arrivals each.

In addition, visitor spend generated an estimated revenue of THB191,844.75 million, an increase of 21.03%.

The top 10 earners in terms of country markets were China, Russia, Malaysia, United States, United Kingdom, Korea, Japan, Australia, India and Germany.

For the entire year, the country registered  35,381,210 foreign arrivals at immigration checkpoints, an increase of 8.77% over 2016.

Visitor related spend for the year reached THB824,042.35 million, an increase of 11.66%.

The 2018 target, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand, has been set at minimum of 37.5 million, although if the present growth rate of 8,77% is maintained the total for 2018 could reach 38.48 million.

By 2019 the country should pass the 40 million mark if the world economy remains stable and the country remains free of political crisis or natural disasters.

Soaring tourist arrivals are not only driving hotel development in this popular tourist island, but also spurring growth in peripheral sectors such as attractions, according to the latest C9 Hotelworks research released, 5 January.

The report provides examples of expansion in attractions, mainly fuelled by a strong growth in visits from China, a market that demands man-made attractions to supplement visits to the beach.

With its successful water park in Hua Hin, Proud Real Estate plans to start the development of Vana Nava Phuket by Q4 2018.  Coupled with a 255-room Holiday Inn Express, the project is valued at nearly THB3 billion. Kata Water Park is another notable project that will begin construction in 2018.  Developed by Kata Group on a 13-rai plot, replacing Kata Plaza, the plan includes a 300-room hotel and multiple dining outlets.

Summing up Phuket’s continued growth trajectory Bill Barnett of C9 Hotelworks says “while the recent upgrading of Phuket International Airport and new terminal has been a welcome change, the long-term reality is it’s just a band aid to a macro issue.

“ As Khao Lak continues growing along with the beach areas North of Phuket, the need to diversify Phang Nga’s rising tourism market with its own airport is Phuket’s Low Season Growth and China Drive Amass Record Numbers in 2017.”

Bolstered by a strong low season and double-digit China growth, Thailand’s leading resort destination Phuket has hit a historic high note.  For the year 2017, the island’s gateway airport posted 11.3% y-o-y growth to reach an estimated 8.4 million incoming passengers.  This was mainly driven by a 20% surge in Mainland Chinese travellers to the island and a rising number visitors during low season of 11.2% compared to the same period in 2016.

Full details are featured in the C9 Hotelwork’s newly released Phuket Hotel Market Update.

Download: https://www.c9hotelworks.com/downloads/phuket-hotel-market-update-2018-01.pdf