Impact on tourism _cancelations expected

IMPACT ON TOURISMIMPACT ON TOURISM: 1m-plus may call off bookings

Published on December 28, 2004

ATTA chief puts estimated loss at Bt30 billion

About 1.2 million foreign tourists are likely to cancel their trips to
Thailand after one of the country's worst natural disasters on Sunday
destroyed many popular destinations in Phuket and other provinces,
according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

ATTA secretary-general Chidchai Sakormbadee said about 10 per cent of
the expected 12 million visitors to Thailand this year would revise
their plans, resulting in lost revenue of about Bt30 billion, or 10 per
cent of total revenue of Bt300 billion.

"Phuket alone normally receives about 1.5 million tourists during the
four months of the peak holiday season from November to February. It
stands to lose a large number of tourists," he said.

The association represents inbound tour operators including many who
operate in Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Satun, Ranong, Hat Yai and Surat
Thani - the six provinces most affected by the disaster, which has
claimed more than 800 lives in Thailand and devastated beaches and
property over a wide area.

"We expect that all Scandinavian, Russian, Japanese and European
tourists who were to come by charter flights directly from their homes
to Phuket and Krabi will cancel. Other travellers on regular flights
might switch

to other destinations," Chidchai said.

Reports indicate that 10 hotels and resorts in the Patong area of
Phuket have been hardest hit by the deadly tsunamis. Phang Nga has
almost had its tourism industry completely wiped out, with 70 to 80
hotels and resorts reporting serious damage.

About 10 hotels and resorts in Krabi and Ao Nang are damaged, as are
about 50 resorts on Phi Phi Island.

Overall, financial damage to these hotels and resorts and other
buildings amounts to more than Bt10 billion.

Despite the haunting memory of the deadly tsunamis, several tour
operators have been reluctant to cancel tour packages for the coming
New Year for fear of losing deposits paid out to hotels, tour
organisers and boat operators.

For domestic markets, the Domestic Tourism Promotion Association has
reported that all locals have cancelled their trips to the area for the
immediate future.

The association estimated that this year domestic tourism income would
also drop 10 per cent, or more than Bt30 billion.

Prakit Chinamourphong, vice president of the Thai Hotels Association,
said association members in the five hardest-hit provinces accounted
for 30,000 rooms.

"They cannot receive tourists. Hotels, which are primarily resorts
and groups of cottages along the beach, are popular with tourists. But
they have been totally destroyed by the tidal waves. There are no
places to stay," Prakit said.

Royal Garden Resorts (RGR) said two of its hotels, JW Marriott Phuket
Resort and Spa and Anantara Royal Coco Palm Resort and Spa, were
affected by the disaster.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa has minor damage and is expected to
be back in full operation within a couple of days. Damage to the
Anatara is still being assessed.

RGR said it was covered by property and business interruption
insurance.

It owns the JW Marriott Phuket outright and has a 40-per-cent stake in
the Anatara.

Napassorn Kahkai, assistant director of the Tourism Authority of
Thailand's office in Phuket, said more than 200 beach hotels and
resorts, with 3,000 rooms, located on the most popular beaches -
particularly Patong, Kata and Karon - have been heavily damaged and
cannot open.

However, about 15 beach hotels and resorts with 2,000 rooms, located
more than 500 metres from the sea, were hardly affected, nor were other
hotels in town, which have 4,000 rooms. They will open as normal.
Suchat Sritama

The Nation

"The Tufted Nerble" wrote in message
k...
In article . com,
wrote:

IMPACT ON TOURISM IMPACT ON TOURISM: 1m-plus may call off bookings

I hope that potential tourists to Thailand will simply rebook into
regions away from the affected area. The rest of the nation has
wonderful attractions and accommodations. The history is fascinating,
the values are excellent and the people are hospitable.

After we retired, my wife and I traveled. We visited Thailand in 1989,
attending a conference celebrating the 150th anniversary of photography
and the opening of the associated museum in Bangkok. We stayed to tour
the country.

We're less mobile now, but the maps, photos and mementos are private
little time machines.

Maybe this is a good time to see the Thailand you would have missed. I
wish we were fit for another visit.

Heck, I wish we were fit for a lot of past pleasures....

--
Tufty
--

We were scheduled to fly to Phuket tomorrow, then on to Chaing Mai, Chaing
Rai and Bangkok, three weeks all up. This is my fifth or so trip to
Thailand, my hubby's first. We have managed to get on a flight to Mae Hong
Son instead, as we didn't want to cancel. We're disappointed, but really
feel for all the people that have suffered through this nightmare. I love
Phuket, and am saddened deeply by the tragedy. I hope that next trip I will
be able to take hubby to a rebuilt Phuket, and I'm sure the wonderful spirit
of the people will help them through.

Mel

"The Tufted Nerble" wrote in message
k...
In article . com,
wrote:

IMPACT ON TOURISM IMPACT ON TOURISM: 1m-plus may call off bookings

I hope that potential tourists to Thailand will simply rebook into
regions away from the affected area. The rest of the nation has
wonderful attractions and accommodations. The history is fascinating,
the values are excellent and the people are hospitable.

After we retired, my wife and I traveled. We visited Thailand in 1989,
attending a conference celebrating the 150th anniversary of photography
and the opening of the associated museum in Bangkok. We stayed to tour
the country.

We're less mobile now, but the maps, photos and mementos are private
little time machines.

Maybe this is a good time to see the Thailand you would have missed. I
wish we were fit for another visit.

Heck, I wish we were fit for a lot of past pleasures....

--
Tufty
--

We were scheduled to fly to Phuket tomorrow, then on to Chaing Mai, Chaing
Rai and Bangkok, three weeks all up. This is my fifth or so trip to
Thailand, my hubby's first. We have managed to get on a flight to Mae Hong
Son instead, as we didn't want to cancel. We're disappointed, but really
feel for all the people that have suffered through this nightmare. I love
Phuket, and am saddened deeply by the tragedy. I hope that next trip I will
be able to take hubby to a rebuilt Phuket, and I'm sure the wonderful spirit
of the people will help them through.

Mel

"Melissa" wrote in message news:0h5Ad.91149
We were scheduled to fly to Phuket tomorrow, then on to Chaing Mai, Chaing
Rai and Bangkok, three weeks all up. This is my fifth or so trip to
Thailand, my hubby's first. We have managed to get on a flight to Mae Hong
Son instead, as we didn't want to cancel. We're disappointed, but really
feel for all the people that have suffered through this nightmare. I love
Phuket, and am saddened deeply by the tragedy. I hope that next trip I
will
be able to take hubby to a rebuilt Phuket, and I'm sure the wonderful
spirit
of the people will help them through.

Mel

My family and I were just in Phuket last week staying in the Holiday Inn at
Patong. We left a couple of days before the tsunami hit. It's difficult
imagining what the place looks like now as I keep having these images of
what it was life only a few days ago. Terrible, just bloody terrible.
Thankfully our original plans of being in Phuket this week when the tsunami
hit were thwarted due to flights being full. We had to change our plans to
go there a week earlier thank God.

"Melissa" wrote in message news:0h5Ad.91149
We were scheduled to fly to Phuket tomorrow, then on to Chaing Mai, Chaing
Rai and Bangkok, three weeks all up. This is my fifth or so trip to
Thailand, my hubby's first. We have managed to get on a flight to Mae Hong
Son instead, as we didn't want to cancel. We're disappointed, but really
feel for all the people that have suffered through this nightmare. I love
Phuket, and am saddened deeply by the tragedy. I hope that next trip I
will
be able to take hubby to a rebuilt Phuket, and I'm sure the wonderful
spirit
of the people will help them through.

Mel

My family and I were just in Phuket last week staying in the Holiday Inn at
Patong. We left a couple of days before the tsunami hit. It's difficult
imagining what the place looks like now as I keep having these images of
what it was life only a few days ago. Terrible, just bloody terrible.
Thankfully our original plans of being in Phuket this week when the tsunami
hit were thwarted due to flights being full. We had to change our plans to
go there a week earlier thank God.