Thanyapura Phuket Unveils Major Expansion Plans

Thanyapura Phuket, a world-class sports training and coaching facility, is to invest an additional 300 million Baht (about US$10 million) over five years that will see the 23-hectare complex gain an 100-metre training pool, four tennis courts, a multi-room wellness centre, an international school working towards becoming a UWC (United World College) with enhanced high-performance training programmes and another 115 accommodation units.

The expansion will allow Thanyapura to host a whole new range of sports events and attract more athletes seeking to enhance their mental and physical readiness to compete in the growing number of national and regional sporting competitions across Asia and worldwide.

Located on southern Thai beach resort island of Phuket, Thanyapura offers a unique and inspiring destination for individuals and groups, from professionals to amateur sports enthusiasts or simply for those looking for a balanced approach to their lifestyle.

The massive facility, which first opened in 2008 and has cost 3.5 billion Baht to date, comprises of four centres: Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club, Thanyapura Mind Centre, Thanyapura Health and Phuket International Academy School. Other facilities include an 115-room sports hotel and DiVine Restaurant & Cellar and Booster Daily & Bar, where an extensive range of regionally grown organic food underpins the menu.

The facility delivers a range of academies with competitions, teams and training at all levels and ages, including aquatics, tennis, cycling and triathlon academies.

Thanyapura Health combines a holistic range of treatments such as physiotherapy and traditional Asian medicine plus aesthetics and rejuvenation therapies.

Health conscious persons from China are the top source of business, generating 31% of the facility's room-nights in 2014. Others in the top-ten list of business are sportspersons from Thailand (15%), Australia (8%), Great Britain (5%), Hong Kong, Hungary, USA, Netherland, Singapore and Malaysia.

In 2013, Phuket average occupancy was 49 % and Thanyapura 52%. In 2014, Phuket average occupancy was 51% while Thanyapura achieved 59% and is aiming for 67% for 2015.

The new facilities to be covered by the 300 million Baht investment will include:

• A 100m training pool with 5 lanes, will add to the existing 50m Olympic size pool and 25m training pool. Thanyapura was recently chosen as the first official FINA training centre for Southeast Asia and has signed an agreement together with FINA where 19 SEA countries were invited to send 2 swimmers each for preparation to the Kazan Championships and Rio Olympics.

• Four more tennis courts will increase the total number of courts to 10 enabling Thanyapura to hold bigger national and international tennis tournaments.

• A wellness center with 7 individual spa rooms and two 100-sqm large halls for carrying out yoga and mind training programs.

• Phuket International Academy School working towards becoming a UWC (United World College) to be certified by mid-2016. The high performance training academies has hired 3 more coaches to build its training programmes to send talents to national and international competitions.

• Fourteen two-bedroom Thai villas to begin construction this year, and another building with 100 deluxe rooms to start next year.

Mr. Phillipp Graf Von Hardenberg, President and CEO of Thanyapura, said, "Phuket's pristine environment and great all-year weather provide the perfect natural 'infrastructure' for sports training and education for athletes across all age groups. We are committed to improve performance and health, inspire the mind, instill well-being to optimize the potential of athletes. Thanyapura's three-dimensional approach to coaching pays equal regard to the development of the body, mind and soul, benefiting from the complex's world-class facilities, wide open spaces in a peaceful environment and pace-setting coaches of their respective disciplines ... From now until 2017, we have 25 International, 15 National, 10 local events already planned, which will attract thousands per event of international, national and local athletes and spectators."

Amongst the international events planned for 2015-2016 includes the first 'Swim Around the Island' competition, national and international tennis tournaments, triathlon race for youths and the 'Color Run' event.