Starwood predicts full recovery in the south

"Some (Starwood) hotels are already achieving their pre-tsunami figures and, depending on the mix of each hotel, most should recover by the end of2006," she says. "In fact, for CEI we are looking at an increased volume of 40 to 50 per cent for the southern hotels (Krabi and Phuket) — or an overall growth of 55 per cent." Help to revitalise the tourism business has come from both the public and private sectors. The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Tourism Council of Thailand and Thai Airways were behind the US$261,000 joint campaign called 'Save the Spirit of the Andaman' to revive the six tsunami-hit provinces in the south. "Within six months, 19 key players injected US$5.2 million into the local economy," says Goh. Overseas CEI events like this year's Hagemeyer Australia Connections Conference and Phuket International ICT Conference also indicate that recovery is well underway. "CEI demand in room nights has grown 100 per cent in the past year," says Goh. "Hotel growth is about 120 per cent for the 12 months to April." Goh estimates that revenue variance year-to-date for 2006/2005 is expected to hover around 160 per cent. "To continue the growth of the first quarter and achieve full recovery, Phuket and Krabi will need direct flights from major feeder markets such as Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne and Seoul," she says. Starwood Hotels in the south Andaman Sea include Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, Le Royal Meridien Phuket Yacht Club, Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort and Le Meridien Khao Lak.