REGIONAL FOCUS
Samui Spotlight
The arrival of global hotel brands is contributing to the evolution of Thailand’s third largest island into a luxury lifestyle destination. We visit Koh Samui’s new resorts and their respective spas. NEENA DHILLON » JOURNALIST » SPA BUSINESS
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lessed with palm-lined beaches and verdant hills, Koh Samui has steadily been shrugging off its reputation as a backpacker’s haven to position itself as a sophisti-
cated yet laid-back tropical retreat. Several international hospitality groups have identi- fi ed the opportunity presented by T ailand’s second most popular island, opening fi ve- star resorts. Naturally these include spas that must measure up to the award-win- ning facilities associated with south-east Asia. “Koh Samui is known for its holistic and yoga off ering,” says a fi ve-star hotelier.
“But the challenge for my colleagues and I – in partnership with the Tourism Author- ity of T ailand – is to raise awareness of the island as an upscale spa destination.” Koh Samui registered visitor numbers
of 859,501 in 2011, a rise of 8 per cent on the previous year, according to consultancy
New high-end hotels are creating a media buzz and world-class spas are integral to cater for a style-conscious breed of sybarite
C9 Hotelworks. While Ger- many, T ailand and the UK continued to represent the three most important source countries, China and Korea became key emerg- ing markets. Other positive indicators included a 6 per cent increase in hotel occu- pancy to 60 per cent, as well as a 16 per cent surge in aver- age room rate to over us$150 (€113, £92). “Growth in lux- ury and upscale properties is spurring the cyclical pendu- lum of volume and average rates forwards,” explains Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks.
“New direct fl ights on SilkAir from Singa- pore and on Bangkok Airways from Kuala Lumpur are aiding the cause. T is refl ects a wider shiſt in guest profi le from long-haul to regional visitors, driven by the escalating prominence of Asian economies and contin- uing recession in Europe.” Still, compared to T ailand’s most popu-
lar island, Phuket, which attracts millions of tourists annually, Koh Samui’s relatively modest numbers can be attributed in part to accessibility issues caused by its modest- ly-sized airport. While some islanders are against expansion – environmental concerns combine with a desire to keep Koh Samui
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protected from mega-sized development – there is no doubting the call for improved transportation links go hand in hand with hotel growth. Although the pipeline is fl at- tening out – only a 3 per cent increase in the existing supply of over 17,000 rooms is expected in the next two years – Koh Samui’s midscale and budget sectors in particular are reliant on low-cost carrier upliſt . In the meantime, the current crop of new
high-end hotels is already having an impact, creating media buzz and drawing in affl uent travellers. World-class spas, meanwhile, are integral to an island that now aims to cater for a style-conscious breed of sybarite.
SPA BUSINESS 2 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
The laid-back villa vibe is complemented by a mix of energy- based activities
Landscaped pathways link Away Spa’s seven treatment rooms
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