Central Phuket Elevates Phuket to a Luxury Coastal City for World-Class Living, Expanding Mega Mixed-Use Development in the Heart of Phuket to Enhance Sustainable Economy and Tourism

Dr. Natthakit Tangpoonsinthana, CEO of Marketing at Central Pattana Public Company Limited, stated, “Elevating Phuket to a world-class Shopping and Lifestyle city is not new, as Central Pattana has pioneered Phuket's potential for over 20 years, starting with Central Phuket Festival (in 2004) at a strategic location that is the heart of the city, where all roads lead here, being the most crucial intersection of the city that everyone visiting Phuket must pass through, similar to the role of CentralWorld at the heart of Ratchaprasong intersection. This was further developed with Central Phuket Floresta 8 years ago (in 2018), bringing in luxury brands and global luxury lifestyles to enhance the scale of a world tourism city. This continuity has allowed Central Phuket to grow on four strengths:

1) The only luxury mall outside Bangkok that houses the most global brands; 2) Strong strategic alliances with business partners, hotels, public-private sectors, and a long-standing relationship with Thai-Expat customers in Phuket; 3) A variety of lifestyle that covers all aspects of living; and 4) A world-class mega mixed-use development in the city center that includes shopping centers, condominiums, and a convention hall to host national and international events throughout the year.

And today, we are moving forward to elevate Phuket to a luxury coastal city for world-class living, with Central Phuket as the heart of the city, driving the economy and tourism towards global sustainability. This confidence is also reflected in the Central Group's investment in Phuket with over 140 locations, making it the province with the second-highest investment after Bangkok, covering 10 retail businesses, 7 hotels, 3 residential projects, and over 120 outlets in the Central Retail Group, reflecting the long-term commitment of the Central Group to Phuket.

The potential of Phuket today has advanced beyond being just a tourist city, becoming a global hub in various sectors including Medical, Wellness, and Hospitality. Additionally, the continuous growth of Branded residences will see the opening of new high-end to ultra-luxury villas catering to the lifestyle of global wealth and long-stay residents worldwide, clearly reflecting the transition of Phuket's economy from Visitor Economy to Living Economy.”

A world-class coastal city does not only compete at the beach but must have a strong Downtown District as its core, connecting economy, lifestyle, and investment to support city growth, or 'Downtown economy.'

Dr. Natthakit continued, “Cities like Miami, Saint-Tropez, or Barcelona all have complete elements including Fine dining, Yacht marina, Luxury boutiques, Wellness, and Cultural life, which ‘Phuket’ has the same potential. Today, we are building upon this structure to clarify a new model of a luxury coastal city with three key axes: 1) Luxury lifestyle 2) Downtown Economy and 3) Global community to support quality living for people around the world.”

Chatree Kowitanupon, Head of Project Development at Central Pattana Public Company Limited, added, “Retail-Led Mixed-Use with retail at the heart of the ecosystem is a daily touchpoint that connects people with every function of the area. Central Phuket is the center of life for everyone on the island, linking lifestyle, economy, and city growth. The expansion of this mega mixed-use project is expected to be completed by 2028, consisting of:

1. Central Phuket Floresta “The Pinnacle of Urban Luxury” expanding the luxury area by another double, becoming The World’s Luxury Destination that is the most perfect outside Bangkok, expected to open in Q4 2026.
2. Central Phuket Festival “The Everyday Urban Lifestyle Gateway” enhancing the shopping experience by integrating retail, fashion, lifestyle, and activity spaces together, expected to open in Q1 2028.
3. World-Class Attractions a new landmark combining Aquatic Experience, World-class Arena for Entertainment & Culture, and Immersive Park on an additional 14 rai, expected to open in Q3 2028.

Isaret Jirathiwat, Head of Leasing Fashion & Luxury Partner Management at Central Pattana Public Company Limited, stated, “Phuket is entering a phase of accelerated growth in the luxury market, with 4,700 Branded Residences from 26 projects and over 20 new luxury hotels, 5,200 rooms expected between 2026 and 2029, alongside the development of key infrastructure, including the expansion of the airport to accommodate over 18 million passengers per year, the Expressway project from the airport to Kathu and Patong reducing travel time to 20 minutes, as well as Marina, Deep-sea port, international hospitals, and Wellness projects, with Central Phuket as the hub connecting luxury living. Currently, we have a high purchasing power customer base including Thais, Expats, quality tourists, and long-stay groups, resulting in many brands consistently ranking in the top 3 in the country, with the highest Spending per Customer in tourist malls and sales per square meter up to 2.5 times, along with over 3,000 VVIP Tycoon customers, as well as The 1 ecosystem connecting Wealth customers nationwide.

A global luxury network supports confidence in Central Phuket's potential.

The Central Group manages Luxury retail in over 18 countries and 140 cities worldwide and is one of the Global Strategic Partners of luxury brands, generating substantial annual sales, reaffirming confidence that global brands continue to choose to grow with us. Based on Phuket's potential and the confidence brands have in Central Phuket, evidenced by continuously growing sales and many brands ranking number 1 in the country here, global brands have decided to expand their store space and develop new flagship concepts, including Phuket Exclusive items available only at Central Phuket. With all these potentials, we are moving forward to double the Luxury zone and continuously increase the number of luxury brands, aiming to expand the scale to match Bangkok by 2028, making Central Phuket the only shopping center outside Bangkok that houses nearly all top luxury brands in the world.

This expansion covers three areas:

1. Fashion: Updates on various luxury brands include:

• Including top luxury brands such as BALENCIAGA, GUCCI, HERMES, LOUIS VUITTON, PMT THE HOUR GLASS, SAINT LAURENT, VERSACE, ZEGNA.
• Brands opening Exclusive for the first time outside Bangkok: BALENCIAGA, BOTTEGA VENETA, BVLGARI, BURBERRY, DIOR, GUCCI, HERMES, LOUIS VUITTON, OMEGA, PMT THE HOUR GLASS, PRADA, SAINT LAURENT, VERSACE, TIFFANY & CO, ZEGNA.
• Brands expanding space and new exclusive concepts only at Central Phuket: LOUIS VUITTON with the largest extension boutique in the south, PRADA with a new 597 sq.m. boutique featuring the largest Beachwear collection, PMT THE HOUR GLASS expanding its space, CELINE Exclusive Pop-up, CHANEL BEAUTY Exclusive pop-up, BALENCIAGA, SAINT LAURENT with the latest concept adjustments, TOD’S: First pop-up with the Italian summer concept, the first of its kind in Thailand, BVLGARI — opening the first exclusive boutique concept in Phuket, TIFFANY & CO. with a new concept store featuring a unique Mosaic façade in Thailand.
• Meanwhile, Fashion & Bridge-line brands will increase to over 250 brands, with successful examples such as ZARA Flagship, the largest in Southeast Asia, opening on its first day with the highest sales in Asia, along with LULULEMON, COS, ALO, ORLEBAR BROWN choosing to open significant branches outside Bangkok, reinforcing Central Phuket as a destination where global brands choose to establish.

2. Ultimate Culinary Landmark, the largest outside Bangkok

On an area of over 20,000 sq.m. including famous restaurants from Local to Fine Dining, featuring many first-time restaurants in Phuket such as Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant, the largest Starbucks Reserve in Phuket, %Arabica, Haidilao, the first branch outside Bangkok, along with world-class restaurants like Su Va Na, winner of the World’s Culinary Awards, and look forward to Michelin-level restaurants that will double in the future.

3. World-Class Attractions creating a new landmark for Phuket

A key highlight is the ‘World-class Arena for Entertainment & Culture’ creating a new experience for tourists worldwide, becoming a unique destination in the world. Additionally, there will be a World-class Aquatic Experience on par with global aquariums.

We are also moving forward to create World Festive events throughout the year, including Pride Month, Songkran, Countdown, to drive Phuket towards becoming a global festival city.

Central Phuket is ready to be a Global ecosystem where luxury brands from around the world choose to establish themselves, pushing Phuket onto the global map as a world luxury city, with Central Phuket being one of the key drivers of that vision,” Mr. Isaret concluded.

Juthathum Jirathiwat, Head of Business & Design Development at Central Pattana Public Company Limited, discussed the design concept, stating, “Before we talk about the differences between Festival and Floresta, the most important thing is 1) We are not just designing a shopping center; we are designing ‘the heart of Phuket’ as a luxury coastal city with its own culture, lifestyle, and luxury, and we must make Central Phuket District a Global flagship experience in every aspect, a hub of Luxury, Lifestyle, and Entertainment. 2) A Super Regional mall project that is large comparable to centralwOrld and has world-class luxury brands similar to Central Embassy.

On the Floresta side, we will focus on addressing the Global Wealth group, including High-end luxury fashion, Premium cafés, Private lounges, and new Luxury lifestyles including Sports, Athleisure, Active living, and Home, while elevating it to a Premium F&B destination that includes Michelin restaurants and Street food on a large scale, along with key magnets like Central Department Store, Aquaria, and various activity spaces. Meanwhile, on the Festival side, we will create a Complete customer journey loop, enhancing the shopping experience continuously throughout the center, adding large fashion flagship stores, attracting leading brands from Bangkok to open for the first time, and expanding the restaurant zone on the third floor by over 15% to elevate it to a full-fledged Food destination. Additionally, we are developing a new mixed-use entertainment complex and World-class attractions in Central Phuket District to create a Must-visit destination that is distinctively global, with further details to be announced soon.

Regarding the design, both sides are designed under the same DNA, inspired by the Andaman coast, local culture, and international lifestyle. Floresta reflects the refinement and brilliance of luxury, while Festival conveys the vitality and vibrancy of the city. An example in Floresta is The Pearl Atrium and The Pearl Pod designed with wave lines and natural light, symbolizing ‘the pearl of the Andaman,’ along with the integration of Sino-Portuguese art and a complete redesign of the Ground Floor, reflecting both contemporary luxury, community lifestyle, and the power of Phuket's coast in a unified dimension.

The Ground Floor, which is the Food destination zone, has been completely revamped to elevate the experience to clearly reflect the identity of Phuket's coastline in a modern contemporary atmosphere that integrates local culture and lifestyle with global standards. The space will be designed to embody the lifestyle of Phuket, with a beach club vibe in a Coastal city, linking Local to Global, energizing the area with fun and vibrant energy, similar to the Food destination zone at Central Park, creating memorable experiences for visitors.

We have taken elements from Floresta, particularly the Refined luxury at the Facade, and blended them into the Festival side's decor to create a cohesive design element. Festival embodies Warm Energy, Greenery, and Local essence, making Central Phuket District a shopping center with two different expressions to create new experiences, perfectly reflecting Phuket as ‘Global Destination of Luxury, Lifestyle & Entertainment.’”