Plan for Phuket: Mixing business and leisure

When was the last time you traveled internationally? For those eagerly seeking a holiday or keen to resume in-person meetings, you can officially rejoice and get booking as the Thai island of Phuket has reopened its borders to international tourists on July 1, 2021!

After 15 months of being closed off to the world due to the pandemic, Phuket invites vaccinated travelers to return to Thailand's largest and most famous paradise island. Upon arrival to the country and once screening tests are cleared, travelers are not required to quarantine and are free to wander the island as they please.

As one of the first countries to reopen its borders to foreign tourists, this is an exciting opportunity for organizations to revive face-to-face meetings, team building, and incentive trips that are still considered vital to business. Such events foster camaraderie and support bonding in new environments, providing an experience for attendees to engage in natural conversations that can spark opportunities and relationship-building.

The Time Is Now

Marriott International introduced The Time Is Now initiative to support the comeback of in-person meetings. The promotion offers flexible terms and conditions to boost event organizers' booking confidence and an extensive range of benefits and add-value perks. Aside from the standard offerings such as one complimentary room night per 15 paid room nights or double Marriott Bonvoy earned points, event organizers will receive a 20% discount off full-day delegate packages for Thailand specifically.

There are many things to do in Phuket, and the island is much larger than many people realize. So to help, we have narrowed down the top group activities into three categories:

Things to do in Phuket

Nature

Phuket is known for its palm-fringed beaches, idyllic islands, and exotic wildlife. If you are escaping the city and you're looking to arrange a more relaxing or grounding experience for your team, Phuket has plentiful opportunities to connect with nature.

• What's a trip to Phuket without visiting Phang Nga Bay? Spend a day trip island-hopping throughout the jaw-droppingly beautiful lagoons, caves, mangroves, and beaches and discover what defines true natural beauty.
• On the topic of sun, sand, and sea, dozens of pristine beaches invite pure relaxation. Don't worry - for those who can't sit still, most beaches offer watersport activities and world-class Thai massages. Some beaches to consider are Bangtao, Freedom, Kata, Karon, and Surin Beach.
• Arrange a trip to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary or the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park to support ethical elephant tourism. Have your guests learn why you should never ride an elephant and meet them up close for a heartwarming, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Gibbons, an animal that may not be commonly known outside of Thailand, is a victim of increased hunting in recent years. The Gibbon Rehabilitation project helps gibbon survivors make a full recovery before returning to the wild. Volunteers can work on various tasks such as feeding the gibbons, helping with grounds maintenance, or assisting with research. A very unique but eye-opening experience.

Known as a luxury haven, the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa is situated on the northwest coast of Phuket. From the Marriott portfolio, this stunning property lies closest to the wildlife centers we mentioned above and includes beachfront villas to truly feel at one with the ocean. Any meeting or event held at The Renaissance Phuket offers instant inspiration with mesmerizing surroundings and 5-star amenities.

Culture

Thailand is a country brimming with a rich and colorful culture. Understanding the history and heritage of Phuket is equally as fascinating as any outdoor excursion. The pace of business travel pre-pandemic saw many business travelers only spending time in the hotel and missing out on discovering their surroundings. Why not weave in cultural experiences for your next meeting and events program and make the trip more meaningful?

• One of the most famous landmarks on the island, the impressive 45-meter tall, white Burmese marble Buddha sits atop the Nakkerd Hills. Visitors are welcomed by the tranquil sounds of dharma music and small bells, and stunning panoramic views of Phuket.
• The Phuket Fantasea Show is the ultimate destination on the island for an immersive cultural experience. The award-winning, 140-acre complex offers a range of entertainment and activities, in addition to a 4,000-seat restaurant with a grand Thai and International buffet. With so much to do, book enough time for an enchanting evening that will leave guests with endless things to talk about.
• The island's tiny capital, Phuket Old Town is a historically rich area featuring an abundance of temples (Chinese and Buddhist), charming shophouses, and small printing shops, all accessible by walking.
• The national sport of Muay Thai boxing has been practiced in Thailand for centuries. As a martial art, it requires a lot of partner work training to achieve the best results. At a time where health is of utmost importance, a Muay Thai group training session promotes communication and builds relationships. You can also book tickets following your session to see a real, local Muay Thai fight as an evening activity together.

Centrally located in Patong, the Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach lies in close proximity to the recommended cultural excursions. The resort can also arrange Muay Thai boxing classes at the hotel property! With seven event rooms and four breakout rooms, the resort caters to business travelers who are also interested in carving out time for leisure activities. The Time Is Now offer by the resort offers tailored experiences, including a 30-minute welcome cocktail reception on the beach or a complimentary themed coffee break upgrade.

Food

• Indulge in the freshest seafood you can imagine at the floating restaurants near Koh Maphrow. A five-minute long tail taxi boat from Laem Hin Pier transports you to a cluster of floating restaurants, serving up fish, prawns, oysters, and crab – all cooked to perfection, Thai style.
• Thai food is world-famous – so why not arrange a cooking class to learn the tricks of the trade? A lot of Thai produce is available in other APAC countries so guests can work together, pick up new skills, and continue cooking when they return home. Many classes take groups out to the local markets to buy ingredients and can be selected as morning, afternoon, or whole day packages.
• A 'foodie' experience lesser-known in Phuket is paying a visit to the Chalong Rum Distillery. Producing quality white rum, teams can tour the distillery and learn the process of how it's made. The final part of the workshop includes a cocktail-making class before relaxing and sampling them.

The Westin Siray Bay Resort & Spa Phuket is ideally located on the quiet southeast coast of Phuket, in equal distance from Laem Hin Pier and the Chalong Rum Distillery, and just 15 minutes from Phuket Town. For itineraries that have limited time, the resort also includes a local, health-inspired experience within its meeting and event offerings such as Juicery by Westin live bar, an Eat well canape live station at coffee break, and a post-meeting two-hour Westin Sunset by Juicery at their Horizon Pool lower deck or Prego Moon Deck. The resort offers cooking classes of their own too! The Time Is Now promotion also offers team activities such as local bicycle tours or Run Westin.

Summer Dreaming

Having not been able to travel for countless months, attendees can take the opportunity to tag on a holiday pre- or post- event. Marriott International has launched a new Summer Dreaming leisure promotion, where guests can enjoy value-added benefits. Why not share this thoughtful offer with them? The promotion includes complimentary breakfast for two, daily Resort credit, and flexible cancellation. Those staying more than seven nights also receive a complimentary room upgrade and late checkout until 4 p.m. The offer can be booked up until December 17, 2021 for stays from now until March 31, 2022.

The new Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach opened in late 2020 and is perfect for those who want their families to join them for an overdue summer vacation. The resort features a spacious indoor and outdoor playground called The Little Sea Gipsy Kid's Club and cooking classes to keep children entertained while parents can unwind beachfront.

Phuket Itinerary Examples

With so much to do, where should you begin? We have curated three sample itineraries to stimulate ideas. If you're still struggling with your event planning, get in touch with our expert event organizers from the hotel or resort you are interested in for assistance.

For a team-building trip:

Day 1

• Morning: Arrive in Phuket, Thailand
• Afternoon: Transfer to Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, and await Covid-19 test results
• Evening: Welcome reception on the beach, followed by dinner at Thai Pantry

Day 2

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, trip to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
• Afternoon: Thai cooking class at hotel – includes lunch
• Evening: Evening of leisure

Day 3:

• Morning: Muay Thai boxing class at hotel, followed by breakfast at hotel
• Afternoon: Beach activities, with sunset drinks at The Rum Shack
• Evening: Dinner at D.O.C.G, followed by local Muay Thai boxing event

Day 4:

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel
• Afternoon: Leaving lunch at Merchant Kitchen
• Evening: Departure and transfer to Phuket International Airport

For an incentive trip:

Day 1

• Morning: Arrive in Phuket, Thailand
• Afternoon: Transfer to Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort and await Covid-19 test results
• Evening: Welcome drinks and dinner at Tonson Restaurant & Bar

Day 2

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, trip to Big Buddha Phuket
• Afternoon: Lunch at La Fiamma, afternoon of leisure or trip to Phuket Old Town
• Evening: Evening excursion to Phuket Fantasea

Day 3:

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, trip to Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
• Afternoon: Lunch at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, afternoon at leisure + spa treatments at Le Spa
• Evening: Beach barbeque

Day 4:

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel
• Afternoon: Leaving lunch at Wang Warin
• Evening: Departure and transfer to Phuket International Airport

For a meeting program:

Day 1

• Morning: Arrive in Phuket, Thailand
• Afternoon: Transfer to Four Points by Sheraton Phuket Patong Beach and await Covid-19 test results
• Evening: Welcome drinks and dinner at Sears & Co.

Day 2

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, meeting/event
• Afternoon: Lunch at Chao Leh Kitchen, meeting/event
• Evening: Evening and dinner at leisure

Day 3:

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, meeting/event
• Afternoon: Lunch at Chao Leh Kitchen, afternoon at leisure
• Evening: Dinner at floating restaurants

Day 4:

• Morning: Breakfast at hotel, meeting/event
• Afternoon: Leaving lunch at The Deck Beach Club Patong
• Evening: Departure and transfer to Phuket International Airport