About Phuket

As Asia’s most popular island tourist destination, Phuket today is sophisticated and multicultural, with a large expatriate population involved in every aspect of business.

Myriad restaurants, glitzy shopping malls and abundant nightlife go hand-in-hand with some of Asia’s finest resort hotels. Phuket is a magical mix of old and new, the best of west and east, cunningly combined into the perfect destination for MICE participants as well as vacationers.

Phuket is served by 56 airlines with frequent flights from Bangkok as well as direct flights from major cities in Asia. The international airport, the third busiest airport in Thailand (after Bangkok’s two airports), managed 97,813 aircraft movements and 15.107 million arrivals and departures in 2016. A new international terminal was completed which will increased capacity to over 20 million per year. In terms of passengers the busiest domestic routes are Bangkok (to both airports), Chiang Mai and Koh Samui while internationally the busiest routes are Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul.

Although currently lacking a purpose-built convention and exhibition centre (a casualty of local and national politics), Phuket nevertheless is well geared up for all but the biggest conventions and exhibitions, with international standard meeting and conference facilities in hotels, as well as the unique waterside Royal Phuket Marina exhibition halls, host to Thailand’s original (and hugely successful), international boat show, Phuket International Marine Expo.

Imagine walking down ‘the aisle’, sun about to set, shoeless guests on soft, perfectly smooth sand leading down to gently breaking surf, floral and candle decorations everywhere. Your guests launch their Kongming lanterns skyward, filling the air with these paper Chinese lanterns, carrying with them wishes sure to be granted.

From trendy Surin Beach to laid-back Kamala, busy Kata, picturesque Naiharn and across to secluded Cape Panwa – the list goes on – there are world-class, wonderful beaches perfect for wedding celebrations. Old Phuket town is where architecture, history, culture and colours meet. A cosy dinner party at any of the uniquely decorated dining options could be as memorable as a beach front experience.

Some of the bigger events held in Phuket recently include the 2012 Amway China's 16,000-strong sales meeting at the Laguna resort complex, 2013 NU SKIN Greater China Regional Convention with 4,000 delegates, the 4th Asian Beach Games 2014 with more than 3,000 athletes and 50,000 visitors, the 11th Laguna Phuket International Marathon with more than 8,000 runners and the Phuket boat show’s 12th edition, attracting 5,000 visitors and over 100 exhibitors.

Accessible by road from Phuket Airport are the quieter, less sophisticated, destinations of Krabi (with its own small airport), Khao Lak and Koh Lanta - all of which have facilities for smaller MICE events.

The island’s infrastructure development is ongoing, with a well-developed road network, three international hospitals, several major shopping malls and the airport extension. And island business people believe strongly that the long-awaited convention and exhibition centre will, one day, materialise.