Phuket Market Update 2026: Tourism Revenue Holds Steady as New Supply Clusters in Bang Tao / Cherngtalay

C9 Hotelworks has put together a Q3 market update for Phuket.. The update covers tourism, hotel supply, residences and infrastructure, with data as of September 2026.

Tourism revenue holds up better than passenger numbers

According to Airports of Thailand (AOT), Phuket International Airport handled 6.13 million passenger arrivals between January and September 2026, down 2% year-on-year. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, tourism revenue for the same period was THB400 billion, down 1%. International passengers make up 62% of passenger arrivals, but international visitors bring in 92% of tourism revenue.

Russia is still the largest source market, with 703,200 passenger arrivals, down 6.2% year-on-year. China grew 12.9% to 501,000, the largest gain among the top 10 markets. Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea all fell by between 7.8% and 11.5%.

Hotel pipeline is mostly branded

Phuket has 30 hotels with 5,517 keys in the pipeline. 85% of those keys are branded. 2027 is the largest opening year, with 2,192 keys due.

One location holds the largest share of supply

There are 45,027 residential units for sale across 403 developments. Condominiums make up 83% of them. Bang Tao / Cherngtalay has 17,388 units, or 39% of the total, followed by Rawai at 12% and Karon at 10%. Branded residences account for 4,953 units, or 11% of residential supply.

Half of all branded residences units are in Bang Tao / Cherngtalay, which also has 22% of the hotel pipeline. 39% of branded residences units complete in 2027 or later.

The draft Phuket Town Plan would raise height limits in red zones from 23 meters to between 45 and 60 meters, which is 15 to 20 storeys. These zones include parts of Cherngtalay, and the plan is expected in 2027. With more supply in one location, buyers will compare projects on positioning and product, not just on where they are.

Infrastructure arrives after the new supply

Phuket International Airport Phase II will raise capacity by 44%, from 12.5 million to 18 million passengers a year by 2030. The Kathu to Patong tunnel goes to Cabinet in December 2026, with completion planned for 2031.

There is also a draft accommodation law to replace the Hotel Act B.E. 2547. It would create licence types for homestays, hostels and short-term rentals. Most new hotel keys and branded residences units are due between 2027 and 2029, before the new airport and road capacity is ready.