BLUE LAGOON
Water park aims to attract more families
A new B1.5bn Phuket water park is set to open in the first quarter of next year, aiming to attract families.
A new 1.5-billion-baht water park, Blue Tree Phuket, is set to open in the first quarter of next year, aimed at cashing in on booming tourism on the Andaman coast.
Blue Tree Phuket general manager Michael Ayling said the park is positioned as a premier family attraction in Phuket, a popular island in the South of Thailand.
Project development started two years ago on 140 rai of land with over 17,000 square metres of artificial lake built parallel with the Andaman seashore.
The project is a joint venture between the local company and an international
fund. Further investment details were not disclosed.
“We hope that the project will be the number one family destination in Phuket, which has changed considerably over the past 10 years,” Mr Ayling said.
Besides beautiful beaches, there is also strong demand for inland attractions in Phuket, driven by Thai families, residents of the island and the growth of independent travellers in the international tourism market.
“All these three markets have one thing in common: a need for high-quality, familyfocused entertainment away from the beach,” Mr Ayling said. “This is what we will deliver.”
Some 50% of target market will come
from the local market, and the rest will come from overseas markets such as China, Russia, Australia, Germany, South Korea and France.
The complex forecasts welcoming 1.5 million visitors in the first year of operations.
The first phase of the project will feature a compelling mix of retail, destination dining, water park, beach club, and health and fitness, with the major magnet called the Blue Tree Lagoon, designed and built by the US-based water attraction specialist Crystal Lagoons.
Crystal Lagoons has already entered the Asia market with two projects: one in Hua Hin called Mahasumutr and another in Bintan, Indonesia.
Mr Ayling said investors are eyeing the
second-phase investment, which should consist of a small hotel and facilities for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice).
Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said more than 9 million tourists, both local and foreigners, are expected to visit Phuket this year.
In the year to date, domestic visitors to Phuket grew by 20% compared with lastyear levels, while foreign tourists are up nearly 10%.
Phuket remained a popular destination for foreigners, mostly from China, Russia, Australia and Europe, Mr Chattan said.
He said the number of arrivals to Phuket will continue increasing after the completion of the airport renovation and expansion that will enable an increase in passenger handling capacity from 6 million passengers a year to 18 million.