Koh Samui in Surat Thani province is anticipating a surge in tourism as 47 cruise liners are scheduled to dock at the island this year, bringing an estimated 25,000 passengers. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the majority of these visitors are expected to be from the United States, Europe, and Australia.
In January alone, the island anticipates the arrival of 10 cruise ships. Just this Saturday (Jan 13), the southern island greeted passengers from two cruise liners. The Celebrity Solstice brought in 2,852 tourists, mainly Asian, journeying from Hong Kong via Vietnam and heading towards Singapore. Meanwhile, Mein Schiff 5 arrived with 2,543 tourists, predominantly German, coming from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and set to continue to Vietnam.
The visitors from the two ships participated in a one-day excursion on Koh Samui, with their spending projected to inject around 20 million baht into the local economy.
TAT said the steady increase in cruise ship visits to Koh Samui is indicative of an ongoing upward trend in the island’s tourism industry. Last year alone, the island welcomed nearly 50,000 visitors via cruise liners, a substantial influx that significantly boosted the local economy with approximately 150 million baht in revenue. (NNT)
