IN THE SWIM

Diving business in Chumphon is set to boom next year, thanks to a growing collaboration with tour operators in nearby Ranong.

The diving business in Chumphon is expected to boom next year on the strength of a growing collaboration with tour operators in nearby Ranong.

A number of operators in Chumphon and Ranong provinces have been actively promoting Chumphon as a new diving destination via social media during the MaySeptember period.

Their collaboration and online promotions have begun to bear fruit, with the diving business in Chumphon enjoying robust growth in the just-ended high season, said Suvarin Mayazes, president of the Chumphon Tourism Business Association.

“We hope the rising momentum will continue next year,” he said.

Sales of snorkelling and diving packages in Chumphon doubled and scuba diving trips grew by four times from the previous high season.

Ranong is on the Andaman Sea and close to Chumphon, which is on the Gulf of Thailand.

“The collaboration among tour operators in Ranong and Chumphon is a win-win situation, as operators in Ranong can send clients to operators in nearby Chumphon during the low season in the Andaman,” Mr Suvarin said.

The Andaman high season runs from December to March, while the Gulf of Thailand’s runs from April to October.

The main diving destinations in Chumphon are Koh Ngam Yai, Koh Ngam Noi and Koh Rang Ka Chiu. The three islands are part of Mu Ko Chumphon National Park, which spans 317 square kilometres with a sea area of 165,969 rai.

Many tourists who dive at Koh Tao in Surat Thani prefer to use the ports in Chumphon because of the shorter travel time.

Mr Suvarin, who is also managing director of Siam Catamaran Co, a large diving tour operator in Chumphon, said his company sold 1,200 package tours in October versus 200 in the same period last year.

The company bought two new boats to serve business growth this year, bringing the total to three. Capacity rose from 80 clients a day to 250.

Tour operators outside the province have approached local operators in Chumphon for help selling tour packages.

At present there are four diving tour companies, mostly run by locals, in Chumphon.

The business association has worked closely with Mu Ko Chumphon National Park on conservation, preparing 30 buoys for islands where tourists normally visit. Travel boats drop anchor at the buoys, automatically limiting the number of daily travellers.

Marine wildlife abounds in the area. Koh Ngam Yai and Koh Ngam Noi are under private concession for collecting birds’ nests, so tourists are barred from those islands.