KRC projects that Phuket will welcome 7.4 million tourist arrivals this year, up 12.1 per cent from 2011. Of these 86 per cent will be from overseas.
The KRC, the research arm of KasikornBank, made six recommendations for the province to ensure it stays prosperous:
• Develop a marketing strategy for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions and improve business tourism knowledge and management and personnel competency;
• Fast track the Phuket Convention Centre project to accommodate mega events;
• Build tourist confidence by improving information and the management of the earthquake security system, add better communications channels and publicise evacuation plans and drills to gain maximum participation. Open a single information centre to reduce confusion; maintain a stock of reserve food and medicine; and ensure there are safety signs and directions in Thai, English, Chinese, and Bahasa Malaysia;
• Rehabilitate natural resources in Phuket’s tourist destinations including 39 nearby islands;
• Seek out and cooperate with partners in the international market such as financial institutions, hotels, airlines and tour operators;
• Limit capacity and time frames for visits to national parks and island to allow adequate recovery.
It also recommended that government promote all five provinces as diving destinations, to tap high spending tourists.