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Most of Asia Unaffected by Tsunami
Following
the tsunami which struck in Indian Ocean
rim areas on the morning of December 26,
the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
is reminding consumers in source markets
that most of Asia has not been affected
by the tidal surges.
The
disaster only directly impacted the following
destinations:- India (Andaman Islands, Nicobar
Islands, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Andhra
Pradesh); Indonesia (Sumatra only —
no reports of damage to Java, Bali or other
major islands); Malaysia (north west peninsula
Malaysia — not the east coast or Sabah
or Sarawak); Thailand (Andaman Sea coast
only — not resorts in the Gulf of Siam
such as Samui, Hua Hin or Pattaya); Sri
Lanka (coastal areas); Maldives (coastal
areas); Myanmar (southern archipelago only
— minimal/no impact reported at Ngapali,
Chauntha, and Ngwe Saung beaches); Bangladesh
(minimal impact reported)
PATA President and CEO Mr Peter de Jong
said: “Fortunately, the majority of
Asia was unaffected by this tragedy. Outside
the Indian Ocean rim areas, the travel industry
continues its normal business. There is
no need to cancel trips to non-affected
areas. And even some affected areas have
some coastal hotels that escaped serious
impact and are open for business. “If
you have bookings in areas affected by the
tidal surges, please contact your local
travel agent for the latest news.”
PATA head office has sent PATA Executive
Mr Stephen Yong to Phuket to assess the
impact on PATA members in southern Thailand.
Mr Yong will draw up a priority list of
assistance required by PATA members. PATA
is also carefully monitoring the situation
in other impacted tourism destinations.
Information flows have been hindered by
loss of power and phone lines in some areas.
(*/PATA Newletter)
Tsunami-Hit
Destinations : Remain Open for Business
Maldives:
Of the island nation’s 87 resorts,
63 are currently operational. Many of those
that have been damaged are expected to be
operational within a matter of weeks or
months. Only a handful of resorts have sustained
considerable damage.
Sri Lanka: Of Sri Lanka’s total
hotel supply of 244 properties, 183 remain
fully operational. The hardest hit districts
of Sri Lanka include: Ampara, Hambantota,
Galle, Kalutara, Matara and Trincomalee.
Thailand: The damage to Thailand’s
tourism industry is confined to the southern
provinces adjoining the Andaman Sea: Phuket,
Phangnga, Krabi, Ranong, Satun and Trang.
The impact was varied and highly localized.
For example 90% of Phuket’s room inventory
was unaffected. Many places are operating
normally. The remainder of Thailand’s
tourism destinations were untouched by the
tsunami and remain fully operational.
Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and
Myanmar suffered little or no loss to mainstream
tourism infrastructure or room inventory.
(BTN/PATA/*)
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