Phuket Maintains Strong Tourism Performance with 81.85% Hotel Occupancy

Phuket continued to outperform much of Thailand’s tourism sector during the first four months of 2026, welcoming nearly 4.9 million visitors and generating 186.9 billion baht in tourism revenue despite growing global economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

Figures released by the Phuket office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) show that the island recorded an average hotel occupancy rate of 81.85% between January and April, highlighting the destination’s continued popularity among both domestic and international travelers.

According to the data, total tourist arrivals reached 4.9 million people, representing a modest year-on-year decline of 2.08%. Domestic tourism accounted for 1.36 million visits, down 0.63%, while international arrivals totaled 3.54 million, a decrease of 2.62%.

The TAT statistics cover all modes of transportation and include every type of arrival. Among them were approximately 116,000 cruise ship passengers, many of whom spent only a few hours on the island during port calls.

Separate figures from Phuket International Airport, which track only passengers arriving directly on international flights and exclude travelers entering Thailand through Bangkok, also indicated relative stability. From January to April, the airport processed 2.1 million international arrivals, a decline of just 0.6% compared with the same period last year.

Monthly international arrivals through Phuket Airport were recorded as follows:

• January: 643,300 passengers (-1.9%)

• February: 596,700 passengers (+12.0%)

• March: 484,500 passengers (-2.8%)

• April: 372,600 passengers (-12.0%)

While April showed a more noticeable slowdown, overall traffic remained resilient compared with broader global travel trends.

Tourism revenue generated in Phuket during the four-month period reached approximately 186.9 billion baht, down 2.72% year-on-year. Domestic travelers contributed 14.54 billion baht, while international visitors generated 172.4 billion baht.

With foreign tourism revenue nationwide totaling 569 billion baht during the same period, Phuket accounted for roughly 30.3% of all spending by international visitors in Thailand. In practical terms, nearly one out of every three baht spent by foreign tourists in the country was generated on the island.

Interestingly, nationwide tourism revenue declined by only about 1%, despite international arrivals falling by around 3.5%, suggesting that visitor spending remained relatively strong.

The average hotel occupancy rate of 81.85% effectively classifies the entire January-to-April period as high season. Although occupancy levels likely eased in April compared with the peak months at the start of the year, strong early-season demand helped maintain a high overall average.

During the reporting period, Phuket International Airport served flights from 50 international airlines operating more than 35,100 flights across 71 destinations in 34 countries. Domestic routes were handled by six airlines, which operated over 31,600 flights.