Phuket saw an influx of travellers from India in the first six months of this year, accounting for 50% of foreign guests, but half of all hotels on the island remain closed as they await the start of high season.
Suksit Suvunditkul, president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said the hotel business in Phuket gradually picked up in the first half with an average occupancy rate of around 40% in May, mostly driven by travellers from India, Singapore, Australia and the UK.
