As Bangkok grapples with rising numbers of Covid infections, leading tourism voice KP Ho, Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Group, has told European envoys, airlines, senior officials and business leaders, that for Phuket Sandbox to succeed it is imperative for Phuket to be given “green” destination status.
Outrigger will refresh the former Manathai Surin Phuket before rebranding and re-opening by the year-end high season as Phuket Manathai by Outrigger®.
Tourism eyes around the world are focused on a resort island in Thailand next week for the reopening of international, vaccinated travel to the Phuket Sandbox. A key emerging storyline from the island’s frenzied runaway to 1st July has been the remarkable cross sector partnerships that has become a true catalyst of change.
Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, a luxurious beachfront resort on the northwest coast of Phuket, one of Thailand's most beloved island destinations, is set to reopen its doors on 1 July 2021 as part of Phuket's unique Sandbox Programme, which will allow vaccinated travellers from Thailand and overseas to visit the island and move around freely with no quarantine requirements.
Avani Hotels announces the upcoming launch of Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket Suites & Villas, the brand's ninth property in Thailand and the first in Phuket scheduled to open on 1st July 2021. Located in northwest Phuket, the new resort is 15 minutes from Phuket International Airport and steps from Mai Khao Beach and the Turtle Village Shopping Complex.
Montara Hospitality Group, the Bangkok-based developer behind the award-winning luxury resort destination Trisara and Michelin-starred PRU, is developing Tri Vananda, a comprehensive health and wellness residential community in Phuket, Thailand, to be completed in 2023. Montara is investing over THB 6.6 billion (USD 220 million) in Tri Vananda, envisioned to become Asia's largest and most comprehensive wellness residential community.
Hyatt Regency Phuket Resort is pleased to announce the appointment of Pravin Kumar as General Manager of the luxury resort in Phuket, located along a secluded beachfront at Kamala Bay.
Phuket's sizeable mega-villa property sector has experienced an unexpected surge in multi-million-dollar sales over the past year as Thai buyers sought refuge in the global Covid-19 crisis. Over THB5 billion (approximately USD167 million) in primary and secondary high-end properties transacted at the height of the pandemic.
Scheduled to welcome guests in 2023, Tonino Lamborghini Boutique Hotel Phuket at Chalong Bay is the vision of Alexander Wong, the multi-award-winning architect.
Thailand's leading resort island Phuket has come face-to-face with the reality that it is tourism high-season will not see a marked reopening to overseas travelers. In the wake of the dismantling of the 'Phuket Model' and refocus by the government on using Bangkok as a single international gateway, there is increasing alarm over the lack of a path forward for the island's rice bowl-tourism. The key tourism indicator for the island is airlift and Phuket International Airport is the gateway for 70-80% of visitors to the destination. According to Airports of Thailand (AOT) data, 121,530 passengers arrived in the month of September. This equates to just over 4,000 arrivals a day and a portion of these include local residents and business people. Comparing year-on-year data, 2019's daily arrivals which included international travelers was five times higher. Commenting on the toxic situation, hospitality consulting group C9 Hotelworks Managing Director Bill Barnett says "there is a dramatic change in the market mix where the current domestic-led average length of stay for hotels is approximately 1.8 days, while for foreign travelers it's more than double this amount. What this means for hotels is severely reduced overall demand across the island's entire accommodation sector." Looking forward to the high season when the numbers spike upwards in the four months of December through March, the high season months last year equated to more than one-third of annual demand. Total domestic and international arrivals at the airport totaled just over 9 million in 2019. Adding in high season shoulder months into the equation, the stark economic impact of Phuket's economic seasonality is reflected in the fact that well over half of the island's tourism arrivals are packed into a six-month period. Now, nearly two months into that timeframe, what is apparent is it's virtually impossible to save the high season and hotel owners in 2021 will be forced to contend with historically the lowest trading months of the year by May. Given these grim prospects, C9 is predicting large-scale job losses and business closures given there is no light at the end of the pandemic-induced tunnel. "Taking a 360-degree view on the restricted domestic-only demand, you have to take into account that Phuket's current registered accommodation supply has continued to surge to its present size of 90,267 rooms in 1,773 hotels/tourism establishments" adds Barnett. "Of this supply upper midscale, upscale, and luxury properties of international standards are approximately 25% of the total rooms."Data from leading data intelligence provider STR daily has Phuket occupancy averaging 10% with upward spikes on weekends at international standard hotels. Looking into the number though, the reality is domestic travelers are cashing in on cheap deals at upscale and luxury hotels. Given limited visitor arrivals the far larger mid and economy tiers where most of the hotel inventory sits, are experiencing even lower occupancy. This domino effect is expected to prevail unabated throughout a sustained downturn and effectively crushes the smaller properties and local tourism businesses.
Phuket's hotel industry is reaching breaking point and drastic economic support from the government is needed for it to survive the high season, urge industry leaders. In the wake of the controversial "Phuket Model" international travel reopening scheme, reality is biting back as hotels in Thailand's leading resort island are unable to sustain operating viability based on domestic tourism.According to the Airports of Thailand (AOT), passenger arrivals at the aviation gateway have plunged 65% year-on-year from January through July of this year. What is clear is that the 86,000 rooms in Phuket's registered accommodation establishments cannot realistically break-even or even be cash-flow positive with only domestic demand. This realistically could set the scene for 50,000 job losses in the hotel sector this year if there's no support forth coming or international visitors are not allowed in. One of the green shoots is the Alternative Local State Quarantine (ALSQ) program, with over 60 island properties applying.
Richard Margo has been appointed General Manager of OZO Phuket, from his current role as Hotel Manager of the group's award-winning Amari Phuket which he has held since 2014. Joining ONYX eight years ago as Resident Manager of Amari Pattaya, Richard's career in hotels started from the food and beverage side of the business. He has held roles with Le Meridien in Belgium, Ireland, Portugal and Jordan, as well as with Hilton in Malaysia and Thailand.
Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort has announced the appointment of Daryn Hudson as its General Manager, ahead of the hotel's opening in October 2020. A highly-skilled hospitality professional, Daryn brings a wealth of experience to the role, having joined Marriott International for the first time in 2005 as Director of Food & Beverage at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa. He has gone on to become one the company's most highly-regarded executives. Having moved to Southeast Asia to take up senior roles at Marriott hotels in Manila and Bangkok, Daryn achieved his first General Manager's role in 2013 at Marriott Executive Apartments Sathorn Vista, Bangkok. A successful spell as GM of the Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Pangyo saw Daryn win the "Asia Pacific General Manager of the Year - Select Service" and "Global Courtyard Diamond General Manager of the Year" awards in 2016. Most recently, Daryn was GM of The Stones Hotel - Legian Bali, Autograph Collection, where he succeeded in improving overall performance, and re-positioning the hotel in the Bali market. During his stellar career, Daryn has also successfully completed a series of Marriott leadership programs, including Executive Leadership training in Asia Pacific and the U.S. With such a proven track record, he is the perfect person to lead Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach Resort.
PHIST (Phuket Hotels for Islands Sustaining Tourism) will break down boundaries in 2020 with a virtual version of Asia's largest sustainable travel and hospitality event. Over 1,200 of the industry's leading figures are expected to attend this socially-distant online gathering, which will include keynote addresses, interactive sessions, educational workshops and a green exhibition. The original edition of PHIST 2020 was scheduled to take place in Phuket on 7th September, but this was before the global pandemic caused disruption to the travel landscape. In the spirit of innovation and resilience, this forward-thinking conference will now move into the digital world with a unique single day schedule.
The Phuket Hotels Association has joined forces with Hotel Resilient to launch the COVID-READY Certification scheme, a new initiative to provide guidance, resources and tools to support the safe reopening of hotels and to help restore confidence in the island's hotel industry following Covid-19. Hotel Resilient is the world's only scientific benchmarking and certification body for disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in the hospitality industry. It provides hotels and resorts with risk analytics, digital platforms and pragmatic tools for disaster and climate resilient planning, design and operations. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, Hotel Resilient highlighted disease outbreak as one of multiple hazards potentially impacting hotels. In the wake of the pandemic, Dr. Trevor Girard, Director of Standards and Accreditation at Hotel Resilient and his team of risk specialists have evaluated the scientific evidence, international guidelines and industry best practices to set new standards that cover all aspects of a hotel's COVID-19 prevention and response strategy. Travelers Demand Safety Above AllThe COVID-19 pandemic has spread to almost every country in the world, and its impact on the tourism industry has been tremendous. Due to travel bans and nation-wide shutdowns, hotel bookings have decreased drastically and many hotels have temporarily closed. Even when restrictions ease and travel bans are lifted, it will be some time before it is business as usual. For months if not years, travellers will be extra cautious with their travel plans, most likely preferring destinations with little to no Covid-19 cases. In terms of accommodation, hotels that can provide an extra level of protection against the virus will be in high demand."The new COVID-READY Certification scheme will provide assessment, guidance and support to our Phuket hotels as they prepare to reopen," commented Anthony Lark, President of the Phuket Hotels Association. "Member hotels can obtain this internationally recognised certification, which will showcase Phuket as a safe destination and provide reassurance that hotels are working together to ensure the protection of their guests, staff and the community. Health and safety has never been more important than now, as we prepare to reopen our doors," Mr. Lark added. Teaming up with Hotel Resilient marks the next major step in the association's efforts to work together in restoring confidence in Phuket, and helping hotels prepare to resume operations with enhanced hygiene practices. Dr. Bijan Khazai and the Hotel Resilient team will work alongside the Phuket Hotels Association, member hotels, and local authorities to develop supporting tools and support hotels obtain international certification. The Hotel Resilient COVID-READY Certification scheme is aligned with the internationally recognized Hotel Resilient global standards on disaster risk management. It goes beyond hygiene and safety, addressing systemic and procedural changes to minimise risk and address various crisis management aspects, such as response planning, business continuity, and crisis communication with regard to COVID-19. These new standards are supported by a user-friendly audit and task management software that allows hotels to prioritise areas where action is needed to improve their level of Covid-19 preparedness. In addition, interactive and engaging e-Learning courses are available on the platform, helping to bring hotel staff up-to-speed on the current COVID-19 pandemic threat and describing their roles in the COVID-READY standards, such as preventing transmission or responding to an infection. "The COVID-READY Certification scheme will make Phuket one of the first tourism destinations in the world to take a proactive approach to safety and hygiene preparedness, based on world-class standards. Once all 70+ Phuket Hotels Association's member properties are audited and certified, it will provide a safer environment for visitors, hotel staff and the Phuket community," commented Dr. Bijan Khazai, CEO of Hotel Resilient. For more information about Phuket Hotels Association, please visit https://www.phukethotelsassociation.com. To learn more about Hotel Resilient, please head to https://hotelresilient.org.
Karun brings more than 10 years' hospitality experience and is a graduate of Thailand's Mahidol University International College in Travel and Hospitality Management; upon completion of his study, he started his career with Bandara Hotels & Resorts while undertaking his Master degree prior to joining Fair House Group in Koh Samui as a Group Director of Sales & Marketing. Scheduled to open in late 2020, the brand new Avani+ Khao Lak Resort will offer 328-keys and direct access to the pristine beaches of Khao Lak, just north of Phuket.
Stephan brings 15 years' experience within the hospitality industry, beginning his hospitality career with a degree from The Hotel Management School Maastricht, The Netherlands. After graduating, Stephan was appointed Assistant Hotel Manager at the luxury hotel and Michelin star awarded 'de Echoput' before joining the Intercontinental Hotels Group. In 2011, Stephan began a nine year journey with Marriott International in the United Kingdom, undertaking senior leadership roles at the Edinburgh Marriott and the Residence Inn Edinburgh followed by a transfer to London to work at The London Marriott Hotel and Executive Apartments Canary Wharf. During this time Stephan also supported other prestigious hotels such as Ritz-Carlton Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel London in taskforce assignments, his most recent role was as General Manager at the London Marriott Park Lane.
Following the market's prosperity in the past few years, hotels across all segment have started to witness hindering economic growth, resulting in a softer performance in 2019. The unexpected outbreak of COVIC-19 has swept away the majority of the demand in the market. As the number of travel advisory continues to heighten, concerns over air traffic and tourism spending are increasing among the public as people are reluctant to travel. The following article gives a brief overview of Phuket, its tourism industry, and the recent dynamics of the local lodging market.
Montara Hospitality Group (MHG), the Bangkok-based developer behind the award-winning luxury resort destination Trisara and Michelin-starred PRU, announced the development of a comprehensive health and wellness residential community in Phuket, Thailand, to be completed in 2022. MHG is investing over THB 6,600 million (USD 220 million) in the development of Tri Vananda, envisioned to become Asia's largest and most comprehensive wellness residential community.
Banyan Tree Phuket is pleased to announce the appointment of Michelle Lee as Director of Sales & Marketing. With over 20 years experience in Sales & Marketing across Asia, Lee brings a seasoned know how to the 220 pool villas resort.