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Koh Phangan makes green tourism pitch
Property Report Thailand
June 2008
Koh Phangan has upped efforts to market itself as a
green tourism destination amid reports that the small
island off its popular neighbour Koh Samui welcomed
330,000 travellers last year.
According to Tourism Authority of Thailand Southern Office
Region 5 director Panu Woramitr, the new service from Thai
Airways International to Samui Island has prompted the
Tourism Authority to link up with international agencies
to promote the island as a secondary destination for Samui
visitors.
Panu reported the island catered to 300,000 tourists in
2007, of which the vast majority, around 290,000, were
non-Thais. The overall figure increased by a modest one
per cent on 2006 figures. Panu predicted that visitor
numbers should increase by around three per cent by year
end. However, the lack of more significant growth is being
attributed to the island´s limited capacity and relative
difficulty to reach. At present, there are 274
accommodation establishments on the island with 5,655
rooms for tourists. Samui, by comparison, has almost three
times as many rooms.
Panu added that although Koh Phangnan has limits on major
investments in term of hotels, the positive side of the
regulations is that they help preserve Phangan’s natural
assets for sustainable tourism.
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