As Phuket enters the New Year with soaring arrivals, strong spending and renewed confidence from long-haul markets, Phuket Tourist Association President Thaneth Tantipiriyakit told The Phuket News: “This is the best high season Phuket has seen in the past five years.”

Mr Thaneth said tourism growth from late 2025 and forecast into the first quarter of 2026 clearly surpasses pre-COVID levels in both visitor numbers and per-capita spending. The cause? He says the growth is driven by an expansion of direct international flights, particularly from Europe, alongside Phuket’s role as host of multiple world-class events.

“During peak periods we are seeing between 60,000 and 80,000 visitors arriving on the island each day,” Mr Thaneth said. “What is different this time is not just the numbers, but the quality. Tourists are staying longer, spending more, and travelling outside the traditional peak months.”

Mr Thaneth stressed that the private sector and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are now aligned on a strategy that prioritises quality tourism over sheer volume, especially as Phuket continues to face infrastructure constraints.

“We are no longer focused on chasing headline visitor numbers,” he said. “Instead, we are focusing on tourists who stay longer, spend more and travel responsibly. If we bring too many people without fixing infrastructure, it will affect residents even more ‒ and affect Phuket’s long-term position as a premium destination,” he said.

The Phuket Tourist Association estimates that international tourists will account for more than 80% of tourism revenue this year, with total tourism income for 2025 projected at about B550 billion, up roughly 10% from last year, Mr Thaneth noted.

“Looking ahead to 2026, revenue is expected to rise further to around B605bn,” he added. “International arrivals through Phuket are estimated at 5-6 million people annually, exceeding pre-pandemic levels in both numbers and spending per head.”

BOOM BOOM

A recent report by the TAT supports Mr Thaneth’s optimism. Siriwan Seeharach, Director of the TAT Phuket office, said the October-December period saw more than three new international airlines launch direct flights to Phuket.

These include Paris flights from Air France, Norse Atlantic Airways from Sweden and Norway, and Centrum Air flights from Uzbekistan. The added capacity has significantly boosted long-haul markets, particularly Europe, the UK, Germany and the United States, as well as the CIS region, Ms Siriwan explained.

“Direct flights are a key factor,” Ms Siriwan said. “They make Phuket more accessible to high-spending markets and encourage longer stays, especially during the winter season.”

TAT Phuket forecasts that, during the New Year holiday period from Dec 31 to Jan 4, Phuket will welcome more than 325,000 visitor trips, with an average hotel occupancy rate of 80.76% across more than 1,883 hotels. The average length of stay is estimated at 4.01 days, with Thai and foreign visitors making up a ratio of 30:70.

Revenue from Thai tourists alone during the New Year period is expected to exceed B1.14bn, with foreign visitor spending pushing total tourism income into the multi-billion-baht range.

Figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) show that between January and November 2025, Phuket welcomed 12.74 million visitors, generating total tourism revenue of B491.6bn ‒ even before the tourism high season began. While this represents a slight year-on-year decline due to weaker early-year performance, occupancy rates averaged 76.49%, climbing to nearly 79% in November.

Foreign tourists made up nearly 74% of all visitors, with the top five markets being Russia, China, India, the United Kingdom and Australia. Average daily spending stood at B8,700 per person, with foreign tourists spending an average of B9,100 per day, compared with B5,100 for Thai visitors.

Mr Thaneth said these figures confirm that Phuket’s tourism recovery is now structurally different from the pre-COVID era.

“The market structure has clearly changed,” he said. “Russia, India and China remain major markets, but Europe and the Middle East are growing strongly. European tourists book earlier, stay longer and are travelling even during the green season.”

China, he added, is recovering more slowly at around 30% of pre-pandemic levels, but shows strong potential, with spending per trip now averaging up to four times higher than before, and average stays of around seven nights.

FESTIVALS

Ms Siriwan highlighted that beyond direct flights, major events are playing a crucial role in boosting Phuket’s appeal beyond traditional beach tourism.

The Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025, running until Apr 30, 2026, is aiming to position the island as a global destination for contemporary art and culture, she noted.

Art installations are spread across key locations, including Sala 4 Gor Artland, Sala Yongwon, Nai Harn Beach and other community spaces, encouraging visitors to explore beyond resort areas, Ms Siriwan said.

New Year celebrations have also drawn large crowds, she added, including ‘Patong Festival 2025: Patong Paradise’, the Kamala Bay New Year Firework Extravaganza, and the annual Phuket Local Products Fair at Saphan Hin.

“These events increase per-capita spending and help distribute income across communities,” Ms Siriwan said. “They also strengthen Phuket’s image as more than just a beach destination.”

BURDEN

Despite the positive outlook, both officials and industry leaders caution that infrastructure remains Phuket’s biggest constraint.

Mr Thaneth warned that unmanaged growth could undermine the island’s long-term competitiveness, particularly in areas such as transport, traffic, waste management and public services.

“Phuket still has infrastructure issues,” he said. “Bringing in unlimited numbers of tourists does not support our goal of becoming a wellness and quality-of-life destination, and it affects local residents.”

He praised recent police efforts to improve traffic flow, particularly adjustments along Thepkrasattri Rd, noting that travel times between Phuket Town and the airport during off-peak hours have improved to around 40 minutes.

“These measures are not always convenient for people who are in Phuket, but they are necessary,” he said.

ON THE HORIZON

Nationally, TAT reports that Thailand surpassed 10 million long-haul visitors in 2025, marking a historic record. Europe alone accounted for 7.6 million arrivals, up 12.6%, while the Americas contributed 1.5 million, up 7% year-on-year.

The UK market has been particularly strong, with arrivals exceeding one million visitors for the first time since COVID-19, and spending averaging B60,000-70,000 per trip, with an average stay of more than 17 nights.

Future growth is expected to be supported by airline developments, including British Airways’ decision to operate year-round London-Bangkok flights from March 2026, and Virgin Atlantic’s planned direct London-Phuket service during the 2026-27 winter season.

Looking further into 2026, Mr Thaneth said Phuket is also preparing to host six world-class international events in 2026, including the GSTC Global Sustainable Tourism Conference, InterPride World Conference, Global Wellness Summit and major music and cultural festivals.

“These events will attract high-quality tourists and help spread revenue across the island,” Mr Thaneth said. “They reinforce Phuket’s position as a world-class destination.”

As Phuket steps into 2026, industry leaders agree the challenge is no longer recovery, but management.

“The demand is there,” Mr Thaneth said. “Now the question is how well we manage it ‒ to protect residents, preserve the environment, and ensure Phuket remains a destination people want to return to.”

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/inbound-phuket-tourism-finally-puts-pre-covid-levels-in-the-past-98715.php