Phuket welcome New Year holidaymakers

The Thailand resort of Phuket saw strong visitor numbers of the New Year, according to new figures.

The Thailand resort of Phuket saw strong visitor numbers of the New Year, according to new figures.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the island saw an increase in New Year income of 15 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year. Over the full 12 months of 2010, Phuket welcomed three million visitors and the TAT is forecasting this could increase by ten per cent in 2011.

The most popular attractions included Phi Phi Island, Similan Islands and Racha Yai Island, with the majority of overseas visitors opting to stay close to the beach resorts.

TAT estimate that 90 to 100 per cent of hotel rooms near the popular beaches in Patong and Karon were booked out, with the majority of visitors taking flights to Thailand from countries such as Australia and Russia.

Phuket is currently hosting the eighth International Boat Show at the Royal Phuket Marina.