Eastern Seaboard Touted As Tourism Altnerative

Eastern seaboard touted as tourism altnerative to Andaman coast

BANGKOK: -- Foreign tourists began trickling back to beaches along Thailand's Andaman coast yesterday to celebrate New Year, as Tourism Minister Sontaya Kunplome encouraged visitors to travel to the country's eastern coastline to complete their holidays in the kingdom.

Mr. Sontaya said that tourists who wished to switch from the Andaman coast, devastated by massive tidal waves on Sunday, could travel, instead, to other destinations, including Pattaya, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Hua Hin or Cha-am.

However, he noted that some foreign visitors, notably Russians and Swedes, were adamant that they would remain in Phuket for New Year, despite the widespread damage and huge loss of life.

Downplaying the impact of the disaster on the tourism industry, and stressing that the Andaman coastline was safe for travel, Mr. Sontaya said: "We don't have any figures on holiday cancellations at the moment, but they certainly don't exceed 50 percent".

Beach accommodation in Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat is already fully booked for New Year, but a few lucky tourists will be able to find accommodation away from the main resorts.

A new tsunami relief committee, headed by Mr. Sontaya, will comprise representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), provincial representatives, and representatives from the Tourism Industry Association.

This committee will divide off into three sub-committees, the first of which will focus on surveying damage, restoring tourism destinations and helping find employment for those made out of work by the disaster.

The second will look specifically at tourism marketing, while the third will act as a public relations committee.

The three sub-committees will spend a week collecting data, after which they will come together to draw up a more detailed restoration plan.

Around 40 percent of the hotels in the six affected provinces are said to have sustained damage from the tsunami, while other inland hotels are able to operate as normal.

--TNA 2004-12-30