Phuket Square, the developer of the island's shopping and leisure complex Jungceylon, has set a Bt100-million budget for promotional and event-marketing campaigns this year, deputy CEO Prawit Janyasittikul said recently.

It soft-launched the complex last month with the opening of about 80 of 200 projected shops, and the grand opening is expected to be in March. The 400-room, five-star Millennium Resort Phuket hotel is due to open late this year.

Prawit said that despite Phuket's profusion of upmarket malls Jungceylon presented "a unique niche in the lifestyle and leisure market" as a relaxed place shoppers could stroll through even in their bikinis.

"We expect to draw 40,000-50,000 local and international visitors a day. We do believe Jungceylon will be a magnet luring shoppers and tourists into the Patong Beach area, which will be beneficial to the shops and services as a whole", Prawit said.

Besides fashion and lifestyle shops, the 10,000-square-metre That's Siam zone is a highlight, featuring arts, crafts and foods of the Kingdom's regions.

Dr Doonpichai Komolvanit, who conceived and designed That's Siam, sees it as an arts-and-crafts "town", where visitors are welcomed into a relaxing environment with spa treatments, zoned decorations and displays of products, local food courts and harmonising soft music.

He pointed out that Phuket produced high-quality pottery and traditional spa products which were scarcely marketed.

Prawit mentioned the promotion zone called The Port as another strong point, with 5,000 square metres rented out for events and activities, featuring a hydraulic stage and catwalk as well as advanced lighting and sound equipment designed to facilitate fashion shows.

"And it's not just company marketing. We plan a Big Bike Show every April and a Music Festival", deputy CEO Prawit said.

Kasikornbank and Bank of Ayudhya have lent Phuket Square Bt2.6 billion to develop Jungceylon, and Phuket Square is studying investment feasibility for the future, including a residential project and a theme park.

Patcharee Lueng-uthai

 The Nation