Phuket trying to woo back Indian weddings

Phuket is located off the southwest coast of Thailand, which is one of the most popular overseas destinations for Indian weddings in Asia.

Thai Tourism Board statistics say 30,000 Indian tourists visited Phuket last year while the whole of Thailand logged nearly one million Indian footfalls in 2010.

"India is a booming market, but currently the occupancy of Indian tourists is under five per cent. We are looking at family groups with children and wedding entourages," Dionysius said.

"A year ago, several wedding groups wanted to book with us. But that was before we closed down one of our biggest hotels for renovation. It will be opening as Angsana Laguna Phuket - and will host big weddings, including Indian ones," the official said.

The Indian wedding market is hard to tap despite the fact that many Indians go to Thailand on holiday and to solemnise weddings, the Laguna official said.

"Properties abroad, especially in destinations like Phuket, have to find the right partners in India to guide the wedding crowd and hotels are often afraid to play host to Indian weddings because they are such big events with elaborate rituals and frills. They can't afford to go wrong with the arrangements," she said.