United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
End of year targeted for return to normality
Tourist chiefs in the islands worst affected by the tsunami are optimistically predicting that visitor numbers could be back to normal by the end of the year. Tourist arrivals at Thailand’s Bangkok airport in the first three days of this year were 27 per cent down on last year’s daily average of 18,904, but Tourism Authority of Thailand chief Jutamas Siriwan is confident that tourists will soon return, even to the country’s worst hit areas. She estimated that Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi, which were hit badly by the tsunami, would lose only about 10 per cent of their annual £1.7 billion income from tourism. She said only 10 per cent of the attractions on the Andaman coast and islands had been hit by the tidal waves. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s deputy tourism minister Arunja Ranatunga said 70 per cent of the country’s tourism infrastructure was still intact and claimed the target of 600,000 visitors in 2005 could still be reached. Officials in Sri Lanka and Thailand have re-iterated their plea for holidaymakers to keep travelling to the countries. Sri Lanka Tourist Board UK director Charmarie Maelge said: “We re very keen for people to carry on visiting us. It is a lifeline and every tourist going back to the country will help the economy get back on its feet. “Our slogan is ‘Beyond Beaches’ because 58 per cent of our hotels are located away from coastal areas and there is still so much to see in the country.” But consultancy company Deloitte was less optimistic about the recovery time needed. It argued that companies would have to offer heavy discounts to tempt tourists back. “The speed of recovery will depend on the restoration of the infrastructure, clean water and sanitation as well as the rebuilding of shops, restaurants and services which are essential to support the tourism industry,” said Deloitte’s Alex Kyriakidis.
Related News Stories:
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Tricia Handley-Hughes of Inteletravel announces the location for the TravelQuest 2025 conference
Insights from James Ferrara on Inteletravel’s Growth and Future
Tricia Handley-Hughes on Inteletravel’s Growth and Challenges
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Woman dies after getting ‘entangled’ in baggage carousel
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Protestors now targeting Amsterdam cruise calls