PHUKET — Despite a decline in Chinese tourists to Thailand, Middle Eastern visitors have stepped in to fill the gap, according to the Phuket Tourism Industry Council. The council is urging the government to address traffic and environmental issues to preserve Phuket’s status as a tourism bright spot.
Thanet Tantipiriyakit, Chairman of the Phuket Tourism Industry Council, revealed today, May 7, that Phuket still has significant capacity to accommodate more tourists, even with the substantial decrease in Chinese visitors. The Middle Eastern market has fortunately helped fill this gap, becoming increasingly important as the green season (rainy season) approaches in June.
“Tourism operators are concerned about the current situation,” Thanet acknowledged. He identified five key markets that could potentially compensate for the decline in Chinese tourists: India, Russia, the Middle East, Australia, and Europe. These countries typically favor Thailand’s green season, as visitors seek to escape extreme temperatures of around 50°C at home. “These tourists tend to stay longer and spend considerably more,” he added.
Thanet emphasized that Phuket remains a tourism “bright spot” where visitors leave with positive impressions and a desire to return. However, he noted that nearly all tourists share one common complaint: worsening traffic congestion.
“This is a problem the private sector cannot control,” he explained. “There simply isn’t sufficient budget to develop more roads to alleviate traffic.” He urged the government to use the opportunity presented by the lower tourist numbers during green season to improve infrastructure and address the increasingly frequent complaints about traffic congestion.
Environmental concerns are also mounting, with Thanet candidly stating that “the natural beauty and orderliness of the island have deteriorated.”
The private sector is eager to see what actions the government will take to support Phuket tourism, considering its status as one of Thailand’s key tourism bright spots that continues to attract international visitors.
Industry leaders are concerned that if tourists encounter traffic congestion, disorder, and diminished natural beauty, they may not return in the future.
The private sector is also calling for the government to stimulate domestic tourism, describing it as “an important economic engine for Thailand.” With the approaching low season, there are concerns about a potential slowdown in domestic travel. Tourism operators are advocating for the quick implementation of a “Travel Together” subsidy program, with the government covering 50% of accommodation costs and citizens paying the remaining 50%.
While acknowledging that the program’s launch has been delayed beyond the ideal May timeframe (the beginning of low season), operators maintain that “late is better than never.”
Regarding proposed conditions, the industry supports differential subsidy rates—suggesting 50% for secondary cities and 40% for major destinations—to encourage exploration of lesser-known but attractive destinations.
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