tourist numbers

Hi

Tourist numbers are they up or down on last year, re global resession?

Also have prices in general gone down with the pre mentioned resession, as you would think they would have.

Two months to go.

Harry

tourist numbers

Numbers are down somewhat from last year.

Prices for hotel rooms might be a bit less but for food, and drink, and shopping: I believe the same.

Just my guess.

tourist numbers

I%26#39;ve heard from a friend who receives information about numbers of people passing through Phuket airport that numbers were almost static when I last checked about a month ago. A friend of ours said his hotel in Patong was fully booked throughout March, but I have heard that many hotels are starting to struggle. I think the Hilton was at about 75% capacity, not sure about the last couple of weeks we%26#39;ve been home, though.

I am guessing, though, that a lot of the people who pass through the airport are locals on domestic flights.

There might not be much difference in overall numbers. People are generally cutting down on more expensive long distance travelling. A shortfall in numbers from Europe, etc will be offset by increasing number of tourists from nearby Asian countries. For example in Singapore, people are not cutting down on travelling but are switching from more expensive faraway destinations to somewhere nearer like Phuket which is cheaper. I believe Phuket may see more Asian tourists and fewer Europeans during these bad times.

I think also that many people had already booked holidays so kept with them because they%26#39;d paid their deposits, they don%26#39;t seem to be spending much money though - not many people carrying shopping when I was there.

The high number of tourists from Australia in the low season though has helped Phuket a lot in the last few years.

These say February was down for numbers

phuketwan.com/tourism/鈥?/a>

Of course arrivals at the airport include those going to Khao Lak and some other areas.

Harry - the hotel rates are low in low season, but I don%26#39;t think you will see much change in prices because costs of doing business are still very high.

Wages can be more than elsewhere because prices for people are higher, property prices for doing business compared to other areas are very high indeed so businesses have to cover their costs - when people think prices are high it is often not that a business is really trying to get the most, it can simply be the %26#39;costs of doing business%26#39;. Business costs to buy or rent are still very very high indeed even with all the construction going on.

Just returned from a trip to Phuket and Khao Lak.

Both hotels were full (Patong Beach hotel and La Flora in Khao Lak )Prices for food and drink were variable but a good deal couls be had in certain places but you had to be careful.Our favourite resteraunts were Sweets (been there many times over the years and still as good)and Harrys in Phuket and the Talay seafood in Khao Lak .Drink prices were very dear in the Hotels and also in the seafront bars in Phuket .

Athena. I agree.

We booked our holiday back in August when times were not like they are now with possibilities of losing ones job looming currently.

I would not book the same holiday now and will have less spending money on my trip. We actually have more than we thought we would have but less than what we would normally plan on spending.

I had a deposit in the hotel so would have lost that if I had opted for the Mercure hotel deals of late. I could have saved another 鈧?00 / $800 dollars if I could.

hi , got back from Patong today and had a great time with family . It was our first time in Phuket but speaking to the aussie regulars , they said prices were heaps more expensive than last year maybe even 40% more .Our dollar is far worse now than a year ago though!!!!

Don%26#39;t pay more than 150 baht for deisel ,lonsdale, everlast singlets . My daughter was paying 200 bt for raybans . Good quality dvd,s were 60 bt ( in secret rooms ).

The dive shops had 25% off dives in March. We went with Sunrise and we were soooo impressed with them , ask for Britta (she was unreal ).

Weather was great but really hot and getting hotter. Our biggest expense was food , not near as cheap apparently . Holidays are for spending so be prepared to spend up .

Ps if you dont stay in Patong you will spend a fortune on daily transport ....Simone