Chinese Tourists Outnumber Russians in Phuket

Phuket, Thailand’s popular tourist destination, has recently witnessed a shift in its visitor demographics. According to the latest report from Phuket Immigration, Chinese tourists have surpassed Russian visitors in numbers during the month of April. This change comes as the island experiences a significant increase in international arrivals overall.

Between April 1-30, a total of 63,476 Russian tourists arrived in Phuket, while Chinese arrivals reached 46,697. Although the Russian figures were higher for the entire month, the last week of April saw a rapid influx of 11,082 Chinese tourists, outpacing the 6,893 new Russian visitors during the same period.

Tourists from India remained in the third place, with 24,897 arrivals during April, up from 21,025 last week (+3,872 in the past 7 days).

Australian tourists placed fourth for the same period with 23,307 arrivals, up from 20,839 last week.

Travelers from the United Kingdom held steady in fifth place, with 17,552 British tourists visiting Phuket in April. The island’s total international arrivals for the month amounted to 304,485, a notable increase from 256,590 on April 26.

Phuket’s foreign resident population also experienced growth in April, with an increase of 50,646 individuals, bringing the total to 370,807.

In an effort to maintain law and order among the growing number of international visitors, Phuket Immigration has implemented stricter enforcement of immigration laws. In April alone, 29 foreigners were detained for violations, while 17 others faced fines under Section 38 of the Immigration Act.

SOURCE: Phuket News

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