Phuket expects to achieve 500 billion baht in tourism revenue this year, said Sophon Suwannarat, the island's provincial governor.
He added that the resort island's tourism revenue was deemed successful last year. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), at least 13.14 million tourists visited, generating a minimum of 497 billion baht in revenue.
For this year, Mr Sophon said that the local authority has set a goal of 500 billion baht, as the TAT report shows that Phuket remains one of the main destinations for foreigners.
"Of the 35.5 million international arrivals last year, more than 13 million were in Phuket, making the island a very important destination for generating income for the country, and second only to Bangkok," he said.
"Phuket does not need too many tourists. About 13 million visitors a year is considered just right. What we want is for tourists to stay longer and spend more here," he added.
As Phuket will host the World Sustainable Tourism Council conference next year, the island will implement projects and measures to address the impact of tourism -- including inappropriate behaviour by tourists and the increasing levels of rubbish and water pollution -- in order to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable tourism initiatives, he said.
He also urged all tourists to respect local laws and culture. He cited an example from last year when a drunk Russian visitor walked up to the Phuket governor's office and stole a pair of shoes; the visitor was imprisoned for nine months and had his visa revoked.
In the same year, immigration officers invalidated the visas of almost 400 foreign tourists.
Regarding waste management, he noted that Phuket is currently able to treat 85,862 cubic metres of wastewater per day, although this does not cover the entire province.
Consequently, the province has collaborated with the China Water Environment Group (CWEG) on a feasibility study for installing additional wastewater treatment systems at 10 locations, including Muang district, Kathu and Patong.
These projects aim to support urban growth and address environmental issues that hinder the development of world-class tourism cities.
"In March, we will sign an MoU with CWEG in China for the wastewater management project," he said.
Phuket generates roughly 1,100 tonnes of refuse per day, of which 700 tonnes are processed.
A second incinerator has been built in the Phuket City Municipality, with a capacity of around 500 tonnes per day. As a result, Phuket will have a total capacity to manage up to 1,200 tonnes of garbage per day.
However, more will be needed, and the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation has been asked to build an additional incinerator capable of processing another 500 tonnes a day to support waste management for another ten years, he said.
Phuket will also continue to invest in infrastructure and public services, as well as improve safety and the quality of life for its residents and visitors.
"We hope these projects will help Phuket become a liveable city and efficiently welcome tourists from around the world," he said.
