Short Tour Packages Offered Upon Concerns Over Disasters

[webfact]

Short holidays offered upon concerns over disasters

BANGKOK, 28 March 2011 (NNT) – Domestic travel agencies have started to adjust their business operation by focusing on selling short tour packages after Thai people are found worrying about natural disasters and do not want to travel far.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Deputy Director Thawatchai Arunyik stated that the TAT is monitoring flood situation in many southern provinces and effects of the earthquake in Myanmar to northern Thai provinces to see if they will affect domestic tourism or not.

Mr Thawatchai admitted that Songkran festival is coming, and many provinces will be organizing Songkran celebrative activities. He said the TAT will convene a meeting with related units to evaluate the situation and assess impacts again.

Meanwhile, Association of Domestic Travel (ADT) President Maiyarat Phreerayakoses reported that tour-related entrepreneurs in the northern province of Chiang Rai suffer the most from the tremor in Myanmar although a majority of tourists insists to continue their holiday in the area, and there is no cancellation of big tours.

Mr Maiyarat added that Thai tourists have started to check information more thoroughly following the disasters in Japan and Myanmar. She said they tend to purchase short tour packages lasting not more than four days because they are worried about their homes.

The president indicated that travel agencies hence have to adjust themselves by offering more short trips lasting only two or three days to respond with demands of customers instead.

-- NNT 2011-03-28