Tourism
In the past decade, tourism has become the biggest earner for
the area, and continues to grow rapidly with more than 3 million
visitors every year. In recent years, tourism revenues have resulted
in better roads, better hospitals and public utilities. However
one of the main issues now facing Phuket, is how to maintain a balance
between the benefits of tourism while sustaining the natural attractions
that originally brought visitors here.
Rubber
First introduced from Malaya in 1903, the orderly ranks of rubber
trees soon came to define much of the local landscape. Rubber plantations
are still much in evidence, but soaring real estate values and the
boom in tourism has meant that land is being turned to other uses.
Tin
Tinhas been mined on Phuket from time immemorial, however
the demand for the metal has declined. Tin dredging in offshore
waters has decreased in the past few years, by zoning regulations
designed to help protect the coral reefs and beaches of the west
coast. Old tin-mine workings on land, meanwhile, are being converted
from unsightly scars in the landscape to beautiful resort hotel
developments, yacht marinas, golf courses and bungee-jumping facilities.
Coconuts, pineapples, bananas, cashews, etc.
Agricultural products of various sorts still contribute significantly
to Phuket's economy, but more and more farming land - even rice
paddies - are being given over to housing estates, roads, and other
infrastructure.
Fishing
Fishing still forms an important part of life for the people living
along the coast, however small-scale fisheries are being hurt by
modern trawling, some of it illegal. Large-scale fisheries, meanwhile,
are threatened with the depletion of commercial fish stocks from
over-fishing.
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