Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong and Phuket Marine Office Director Natchapong Pranit, along with other officials, were on hand to warmly welcome the tourists. Following the arrival, the Vice Governor Adul and his delegation visited the ship and exchanged souvenirs in a ceremonial gesture.
The arrival of Genting Dream, over 300 metres long, on its Singapore-Phuket route is intended to foster friendly relations and stimulate the tourism economy in Phuket.
V/Gov Adul highlighted the recent dredging efforts that have deepened the water channel, enabling larger cruise ships to dock at Phuket. He noted that this development is expected to increase tourist arrivals by sea, complementing the 50,000-60,000 tourists arriving daily via the airport.
The anticipated increase in tourist numbers, potentially to 100,000-200,000 per day, is expected to positively impact both the public and private sectors, as well as local residents, by generating more income.
Mr Natchapong observed a significant rise in cruise ship tourism post-COVID-19.
“Over the past month, about seven to eight large cruise ships have called at the port, and since January, there have been 14-17 trips per month, tripling previous numbers,” he said.
“This trend is particularly favourable for Phuket’s tourist market. Previously, large cruise ships like the Genting Dream had to anchor offshore and use smaller boats to ferry tourists to land, which was time-consuming and less convenient,” he explained.
The Genting Dream is scheduled to dock at Phuket twice a month until 2026. Meanwhile, the Phuket Marine Department plans to further develop the port into a navigation centre for large cruise ships on the Andaman coast, or a ‘Marina Hub’, catering to the preferences of tourists travelling on large ships.