Via The Phuket News
PHUKET — 29 September 2026, Phuket welcomed 9.2 million visitors in the first eight
months of the year, a 1.76% decline on the same period in 2025, as
four new direct international flight routes are set to launch next
month ahead of the high season.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) figures presented at the Phuket
provincial administration meeting yesterday (Sept 28) showed the
island received 9,200,166 visitors from January through August.
The total comprised 2,409,873 Thai tourists, up 0.46% year-on-year,
and 6,790,293 foreign tourists, down 2.52%.
Tourism revenue fell 0.99% to B356.21 billion, with spending by
foreign visitors accounting for B328.93bn of the total.
Revenue from international tourists declined 1.19% to B328.93bn,
while revenue from Thai tourists rose 1.44% to B27.29bn.
The average hotel occupancy rate for the eight-month period was
66.20%.
Russia remained Phuket’s largest foreign tourism market, with
661,876 visitors, followed by China with 459,218 and India with
393,277.
Australia was the fourth-largest market, with 167,345 visitors,
followed by the United Kingdom (152,866), Germany (115,795),
France (111,701), Malaysia (101,639), South Korea (90,341) and
Kazakhstan (86,071).
The figures come as Phuket prepares for the high season, with four
airlines scheduled to introduce direct routes from Europe, the
Middle East and Eastern Europe in October.
Virgin Atlantic is due to begin flying between London and Phuket
on Oct 18, with three flights per week.
Swiss airline Edelweiss Air will launch its Zurich-Phuket route on
Oct 25, also with three flights per week.
Kuwait Airways is scheduled to begin operating between Kuwait
and Phuket on Oct 27, with two flights per week, followed by
Belavia Belarusian Airlines, which will launch twice-weekly flights
between Minsk and Phuket on Oct 29.
The additional services are expected to expand direct travel options
for international visitors during the peak season.
Tourism officials said the new routes would help accommodate
demand from overseas markets and create opportunities for
tourism-related businesses, including hotels, restaurants and other
services, to benefit from visitor spending.