Tourist arrivals to Phuket in the first Quarter ( Q1) this year are up on last year, but the amount tourists are spending while here is down .
The figures are released by the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office ( PPCO) show 827.828 tourists arrived in Phuket in Q1, a 39,9 per cent increase on the same period last year. According to the Phuket immigration data, 741.211 tourists arrived at Phuket International Airport (PIA) during the period, with 86.617 tourists , 1o per cent of the total, arriving by sea on cruise ships and yachts. There was also an increase of international flights to PIA in Q 1.
More flights are operating between Phuket and China, , South Korea, Australia, the Middle East and Russia. In Q1, 3.804 flights landed at PIA, a jump of 19,1 per cent on last year. Mostly the tourists come from Russia, China, Sweden, Australia and South Korea.Russia was the main source or growth for Phuket in Q1, with a 110 per cent increase.
The hotel industry in Phuket also achieved significant growth due to the sharp increase in tourists. The average occupancy rate of Phuket´s hotels during Q1 of this year was 78,3 per cent, an increase of 10,2 per cent on last year.

Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas in Thailand has introduced a unique meeting offer using the property’s 604 square-meter pool villas. The new meeting package provides a refreshingly different environment in which to conduct small to medium-sized meetings.

The ERAWAN Group has outlined a five-year investment plan to take on seven new hotels and to sell five of their existing properties. The group expects to spend 7 to 10 Billion bath on new investment in its hotel business between 2011 and 2015.

Outrigger Koh Samui Resort & Spa welcomes you to a sanctuary of privacy on north coast of Koh Samui. This intimate resort is a charm among Koh Samui hotels offering only 79 rooms, suites and private villas inspired by Thai tradition but with a completely contemporary flair. Spacious low-rise accommodations open to peaceful garden views and are furnished with deluxe amenities including king beds, flat-screen TVs, and free wi-fi.

Our picture shows left Alex Willats, the acting General Manager at one of the leading hotels in Asia, the Dusit Thani Bangkok, moved from Bahrain to Bangkok:” I am more than happy to work in this magnificent hotel with a long tradition, a similar kind of style and a great team”. Bangkok is a very nice and interesting place to stay and Willats have found a lot of friends, he told us. He is in the Thailand Capitol with his family. ( and right Tourism-Insider editor-in-chief Joachim Fischer )

Dusit International draws upon 60 years experience in the hotel and hospitality field. The group’s origin dates back to 1948 when Honorary Chairperson, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, opened her first hotel, the “Princess” on Bangkok’s New Road. This successful venture represented a major breakthrough for Thailand’s hospitality industry creating and evolving what is today the nation’s leading hotel company.