The news was delivered at a press conference at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (July 9), chaired by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat. Also present were senior provincial officials and representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the private sector.
Kamolphan Chalermskulrat, Deputy Director of the TAT Phuket office, and Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, presented an overview of tourism performance.
From January to May 2025, Phuket recorded a total of 5,859,022 tourist arrivals, an increase of 3.14% compared with the same period last year. Of this number, 1,591,817 were Thai tourists, representing a rise of 6.73%, while 4,267,205 were foreign visitors, up by 1.86%.
Tourism revenue for the five-month period totalled B223.77bn, an increase of 5.19% year-on-year. Revenue generated by Thai tourists was B16.65bn, up by 12.74%, while spending by international visitors amounted to B207.11bn, an increase of 4.63%. The average spending per visitor was B38,192 per trip.
In June 2025 alone, Phuket welcomed 1,713,776 visitors. This included 582,555 Thai travellers and 1,131,221 international tourists. The average hotel occupancy rate for the month was 62.63%, with visitors staying an average of 3.24 days. Total tourism income for the month exceeded B35.51bn.
The top 10 source markets for international arrivals in June were India, Russia, China, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Korea.
Phuket International Airport handled a total of 7,062 inbound and outbound flights during June 2025. These flights carried a total of 1,064,131 passengers, comprising 317,346 international travellers and 216,083 domestic passengers.
Looking ahead to the Asalha Bucha and Buddhist Lent long weekend (July 10-13), officials anticipate welcoming approximately 199,460 visitors to the island. This is expected to generate around B2.89bn in revenue, with an estimated average hotel occupancy rate of 60.57%.
A number of high-profile tourism events are also planned for July and August. These include the Phuket Health Expo 2025, the Phuket Lobster Festival 2025, the Thailand Surfing Championship, the Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 and the Por Tor Festival.
Each of these events aims to draw both domestic and international interest while enhancing Phuket’s cultural and culinary appeal, said an official report of the announcement.
Mr Thaneth also highlighted the recent success of the Phuket Roadshow to Korea 2025, held in Busan and Seoul in June.
As a result of this campaign, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will increase direct flights from Seoul to Phuket to four per day starting this August, he said.
This expansion will increase passenger capacity by more than 200% and is expected to support tourism growth across a range of sectors, including families, independent travellers (FIT), honeymooners and golf enthusiasts.
Mr Thaneth concluded by reaffirming Phuket’s ongoing efforts to develop as a quality tourism destination, with year-round activities and festivals aimed at positioning the province as a sustainable, world-class city for global travellers.