Phuket

Kyiv, A tier, I would say, definitely.

Um, now Phuket.

So Phuket, listen, I've been to Phuket very recently.

Uh, actually, I hosted a boot camp in Phuket a couple of weeks ago, and I went to Phuket, like, just a couple weeks ago, I was in Phuket, and I love this place.

I mean, I just love the atmosphere there.

Um, it's warm.

I, I like warm places.

Like, just Bali, Phuket, exotic places.

Yeah.

Um, Phuket and Koh Samui.

Yep.

I'd probably go back there.

It's true.

Although ca- the counterpoint to that, Hannah, I arrived back from Phuket last night about 5:45 at KLIA, and I have to say, I haven't seen KLIA that busy since COVID.

It was absolutely packed.

All of the e-gates had huge queues.

That's what we've been saying about Vietnam all year.

I don't quite know what we can say new that's, uh, uh, that adds to this story.

But I was in Phuket this week for the, uh, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International Resort Marketing conference, um, and I spoke to a lot of hoteliers from Phuket.

And of course, there is big concern about the potential that Phu Quoc could draw, draw away a lot of, uh, potential visitors to, to, to Phuket.

Thailand is actually planning to offer free stopover tours for international transit passengers from early next year.

So for example, if you got a long layover in Bangkok, Phuket, or even Krabi-

Mm

... you could potentially leave the airport and join a complimentary mini tour that covers things like food, culture, or wellness before heading back for your connecting flight.

Now, the pilot is expected to launch at four airports, so Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in Bangkok-

Oh

... as well as Phuket and Krabi.

And for Singapore travelers, this could be brilliant because instead of spending six hours just waiting for your connecting flight, say, to Europe, because you're flying Bangkok Air, you could squeeze in a little Thai adventure without having to book an extra holiday.

That seasonality, y- I, I took a shot at looking at Bali has seasonality.

Phuket has.

Niseko in Japan, right?

Mm-hmm.

So it's extreme, but it's also ...

And it's at the start of this, 'cause we talked about this earlier.

Peak season gets higher occupancy than Phuket, but it doesn't really yet m- move on the rate.

Phuket actually gets three times, three X, the faster rate growth when they see compression, right? So that talks about-

'Cause these are new itineraries for us.

And embarking in, you know, Thai- Thailand one is embarking in central Bangkok and sailing round to Phuket.

And we're getting the class...

You know, we're getting Singa- Bangkok and Singapore into that.

We're going to a couple of islands that are having their first-ever cruise calls-

Wow

... you know, uh, around on the other side and around outside, um, outside Phuket, as well as going into Georgetown and Penang for the, for the food as well.

So those itineraries I'm really super excited about, because actually for me, they lean into the essence of what a yacht can give you in terms of destination.