Phuket Post :: Article :: Diving into Phuket

Phuket is already a major destination for divers. But if the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Thailand Diving Association (TDA) have their way, Phuket will be the only destination for an upcoming meeting of the world diving association. Khun Suwalai Pindradap, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Southern Office, Region 4, explained that her office and the TDA are ready to pitch Phuket as the best destination for the conference.

"[The world diving association] will have a meeting to choose the venue," she explained, "and one possible venue could be Egypt. We must show our readiness to beat the opposition. We believe Phuket should be chosen. It's important because Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi have many important dive sites."

In Phuket, the dive industry brings in more than 100 million baht per year, K. Pindradap continued. It's a vigorous business, and it continues to grow. Hosting a world conference could further build dive-related tourism in Phuket by making making divers more aware of what the island has to offer.

The plan, though, isn't without a few problems that must be overcome. The number of plane seats on daily airline flights into Phuket, for one.

"[There are] not enough to support this group," Pinpadup said. "And we have problems about hotel rooms. Already, there aren't enough for tourists."

K. Pukki Karutanang, president of the Phuket Ecotourism Association, said that though many tourists already come to dive in Phuket the dive industry could handle more. Currently more than 100 companies cater to divers, he said.

"Tourists are dispersed more and more per day," he added.

Even apart from working to bring a world diving conference to Phuket, K. Pindradap said that her office continually looks to bring more tourists to Phuket. Earlier this month, agents attended the largest tourism show in the world in Germany as well as stopping in Spain and Italy to promote tourism in Phuket.