The TAT has a budget of B500,000 to promote the festival, which runs from September 23 to October 2, and has put together a special promotional three-day-two-night tourist package selling for B3,500.
Wanapa Suksomboon, TAT Phuket Assistant Director, explained, “We have prepared 10,000 copies of a guide to the festival, which will be given away free at the TAT office [on Thalang Rd] and at the many shrines in Phuket, starting from [September 4].
“The main targets for our campaign are tourists from Malaysia, Singapore and China as they have the same culture and beliefs and eat the same vegetarian food as we do in Phuket. That said, we still expect tourists from Western countries to join us.
“TAT offices in other countries are also bringing media teams from India, Malaysia and Singapore to promote the festival,” she added.
She noted that hotel rates in Phuket soar during the festival, with the lowest prices being around B3,000 per room night, and the most expensive being around B100,000.
“This is especially the case for hotels near the beach because of the belief that those who wash their face in the sea at sunrise on the first day of the festival will be lucky all year,” Ms Wanapa said.
The special three-day, B3,500 package, she said, will include accommodation in Phuket Town, airport transfers, and a tour taking in Phuket old town, Wat Chalong, Promthep Cape and many Chinese shrines. It does not include air fares.
For information about the package contact: Upper Southern Thailand Tour Operators Club Tel: 076 342 522, 076 319 741, 076 237 300 ext.41-44, 081 892 4583 or 086 947 5550.