High hopes for Phuket Songkran tourism boost

Passenger throughput at Phuket airport has risen to above 23,000 people a day, up from about 18,000, Mr Thanusak said.

Foreign tourists arriving through Phuket airport in the days leading up to Songkran numbered more than 7,000, Mr Thanusak added, describing the influx as “satisfactory to some extent”. 

“Phuket is also getting early attention from tourists who travel and relax during the holiday season,” he explained.

“Phuket is ready to accept tourists, but there may be fewer cars and boats [serving tourists] than before the COVID-19 epidemic,” he said.

Tourist-popular locales around the island are prepared to receive tourists, Mr Thanusak noted.

“Patong Beach and tourist attractions around Phuket are usually bustling during the Songkran festival. Each location has a beautiful check-in point for tourists to take pictures as a souvenir, which is expected during this Songkran festival as Phuket is still in the top 10 destinations of choice among Thai and foreign tourists during this period,” he said.

Helping to attract domestic tourists are the special discount rates offered by hotels for the Songkran Festival, in addition to the government’s "We Travel Together" program, Mr Thanusak said.

“Discounts of up to 40% are being offered, resulting in a large number of tourists,” he explained.

According to a report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket), Mr Thanusak noted that tourism revenues generated during Songkran this year were expected to reach “the tens of billions”.

“It is expected to be better than revenues in 2020 and 2021. Overall, the tourism economy is definitely better than 2021,” Mr Thanusak said.