Phuket's tourism industry is seeing a strong boost during the long Vesak holiday weekend, with projected revenue exceeding 258 million baht.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket Office said the province is expected to welcome 42,721 domestic tourists between May 30 and June 1 and generate about 258.35 million baht in tourism income.
TAT acting director Sirivan Siharat said a recent hotel survey covering 30% of properties across key tourism zones on the island showed an average occupancy rate of 69.42%, with an average stay of 1.86 days, reflecting short-haul "long weekend" travel behaviour.
Vesak Day falls on May 31 and June 1 is the observed substitution day.
Ms Sirivan said local events are helping stimulate demand, including the "3 Districts 3 Runs" activity held at Bang Wad Reservoir in Kathu district on Saturday, which attracted families, health-focused visitors and runners from nearby provinces.
Phuket International Airport also expects increased traffic, forecasting 352 domestic flights and about 45,866 arriving passengers during the period, averaging 117 flights and 15,288 passengers per day, she said.
The upbeat outlook comes after a strong start to 2026, she said. Between January and April, Phuket recorded 4.9 million visitors, including 3.5 million international arrivals and 1.3 million Thai tourists. An average hotel occupancy rate was 81.85%, she said.
Top inbound markets were Russia, China and India, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Malaysia.
Air connectivity continues to expand, with dozens of new and reinstated routes scheduled for the summer season.
These include Singapore-Phuket services by Thai Lion Air, Chiang Rai-Phuket by Thai Vietjet Air, and Penang–Phuket by AirAsia.
Vietnam Airlines will launch Ho Chi Minh City-Phuket flights in July, while Virgin Atlantic will begin London Heathrow-Phuket services in October.
Ms Sirivan said the combination of events, improved flight capacity and steady international demand is supporting Phuket's continued recovery trajectory, with further growth expected in the second half of the year.
