Phuket and Koh Samui, two of Thailand’s largest and most populated islands have been benefiting from the current political issues in Bangkok. As less tourists are interested in spending time in Bangkok, which has been the site for political protests since Q4 of last year, more are skipping the city and heading straight to the southern islands.
While Phuket airport has been experiencing a steady increase of direct-flight visitors since 2010, in 2013 it recorded an all-time high of 3.2 million international visitors arriving via direct flights, a 26% growth from the previous year. Samui also experienced its own all-time-highs, receiving 1.7 million visitors from direct flights in 2013; a 37% growth from the previous year.
Most tourists entering Thailand through these airports are arriving directly from Russia and Mainland China, many seeking available hotel units. Lucky for both groups, the availability went up by 67% in Phuket and by 41% in Samui. While it remains to be seen if this is a sustainable trend or just part of the cyclical trading pattern, hotels on both islands are revelling in the current demand.
To meet this demand, eight new hotels are scheduled to open in Phuket this year. A limited number of new hotel projects in Koh Samui will be announced soon as well, while the existing luxury and high-end hotels on the island are predicted to continue to perform well throughout the year.
