Things are looking good in Phuket now that international tourism has resumed

The return of overseas tourists has begun to revitalize the island’s economy and cut unemployment, according to a Bangkok Post story. As per officials on Phuket’s southern island, the return of holidaymakers has raised revenue and created more jobs. Since the launch of the Phuket sandbox project on July 1 last year, the island has received 503,468 tourists, according to data provided by Phuket governor Narong Wunciew in the 304 days leading up to April 30. Tourists spent an average of 55,000 baht per night and lasted for an average of eight nights. With the region’s commerce running at 66.82 billion baht, this corresponds to a total spending of 28.19 billion baht.

In 2019, Phuket received approximately 1 million visitors per month on average. According to academic Chayanon Phucharoen of Prince of Songkla University’s Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, Phuket’s unemployment rate was 11% in the second quarter of 2021, with over 40,000 individuals unemployed. Because most of the island’s labor has not yet returned, the present unemployment rate appears low at this moment. During the third quarter of the year, the rate remained at 11%, while the number of would-be jobless increased to 45,000. However, in the fourth quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate declined to 6%, and the number of unemployed people reduced to 25,000.

The reintroduction of foreign tourism to the island, according to Chayanon, has resulted in an increase in the amount of money transferred to grassroots enterprises, with local vendors obtaining more orders from hotels.