With a budget of 60 million baht (US$1.6 million) allocated for a new infrastructure project, Surat Thani province in southern Thailand has been given the go-ahead by the Marine Department to begin construction on a new pier in Chaiya district to help boost the local economy.
Surat Thani governor, Witchawut Jinto, explained that the project was conceived to take travellers interested in authentic experiences to cultural hot spots, such as the Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya and Wat Suan Mokkhaphalaram, as well as the Ban Phum Riang craft centre, where guests can explore traditional textile manufacturing techniques and the secrets of the Muay Chaiya, a regional variation of Muay Thai boxing.
In addition, the new pier, which has yet to be given an official completion date, is also expected to increase connectivity to popular tourist locations like Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Koh Tao.
Discussing the infrastructure project, a general manager of a luxury hotel nearby expressed enthusiasm for the pier and its knock-on effects, but with one proviso.
“I would be very happy if local businesses are able to attract more visitors once the pier has been built. Creating more access to authentic Thai cultural activities will enhance the country’s reputation as a cultural tourist destination – but I hope the implementation of the project will include guidelines for the preservation of the local habitat and maintain sustainability and authenticity.”
However, contrary to the Surat Thani governor’s hopes for the wider area, Susan Field, owner of Tembo Beach Club & Resort on Koh Samui, thinks the island will not gain much from the new pier.
“I cannot see any benefit for people looking to travel to Koh Samui as the island is already close to the airport. I think it offers more for tourists to Surat Thani region,” she said.
A Swedish national, he is also fluent in Danish, Norwegian, English and Thai.
Japan is seeing the opening of more big-name and glitzy attractions, as companies seek to gain from the country’s tourism recovery.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter, which opened in June, is the second theme park based on the hit film series after the one in London, which has welcomed 17 million visitors since opening in 2012.
Covering 30,000m2, the Tokyo site is also the world’s largest Harry Potter attraction. Operated by Warner Bros. Studio Japan, it features exclusive sets from the film series, interactive experiences including using a green screen, F&B options and shops, with entry for adults priced at 6,300 yen (US$42).
Attractions based on Japanese characters are also expanding, due to their popularity at home and abroad.
Building on its 60 billion yen (US$403 million) investment to open Super Nintendo World in 2021, Universal Studios Japan, in July, launched attractions based on several animation series including One Piece, Detective Conan and Attack on Titan.
Ghibli Park, which opened in Nagoya Prefecture in 2022, has also expanded this year to add two new areas: Mononoke Village, which unveils Japan as it was in the fifteenth century, and Irontown Village, featuring giant sculptures of creatures from Studio Ghibli films.
Growth in theme park attendance is important to tourism recovery as Japan seeks increased consumption by visitors.
Theme parks and amusement parks across the country are welcoming fewer visitors than pre-pandemic, with recovery at just under 80 per cent, but those visitors are spending more. Consumption per person exceeded 10,000 yen for the first time in 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
There are more products in the pipeline.
Tom’s City Circuit Tokyo Bay will open at the capital’s Odaiba waterfront in November, offering indoor and outdoor electric vehicle go-karting, as well as VR-based entertainment.
The company said the attraction can “help revitalise Tokyo’s night-time economy” as electric vehicles are quiet, allowing smooth operations at night.