TAT: Hotel cancellations reported in Chiang Rai after earthquake

[webfact]

Hotel cancellations reported in Chiang Rai after tremor

CHIANG RAI, 7 May 2014 (NNT) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revealed that the recent earthquake in Chiang Rai is causing safety concerns among tourists as several hotels have been faced with room cancellations.

As the epicenter of the 6.3-magnitude quake was located in Chiang Rai, the TAT Northern Office has admitted that the disaster is taking a toll on tourism businesses in the northernmost province.

About ten local hotels have reported more than 40 room cancellations so far following the incident. Chiang Rung Hotel in Phan district has also announced temporary closure for renovation in order to ensure customers’ safety after sustaining structural damage from the quake.

However, tourism activities reportedly go on as usual in other quake-hit provinces, such as Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phrae, Nan and Uttaradit. No effects have been seen on major tourist attractions in those provinces while roads remain passable despite some damages.

Meanwhile, the TAT Chiang Rai Office noted that some of the room cancellations were made by tour groups. The office said the hotel occupancy rate in the province stood at 40 percent during the first three months of this year and declined to 20-25 percent in April when the low season began.

In the wake of the recent earthquake, it is feared that the disaster would pull the occupancy rate down further in May.


-- NNT 2014-05-07

[JeremyBowskill]

Brilliant, wonder how much the great minds at TAT spent on this fact finding.......... Lucky Lamphun (being the huge tourist draw that it is) is unaffected!!

[MaxLee]

Brilliant, wonder how much the great minds at TAT spent on this fact finding.......... Lucky Lamphun (being the huge tourist draw that it is) is unaffected!!

They will just plug in a slogan:

"Amazing Thailand, the land of 'No damages reported'"

[rametindallas]

I was on the fifth floor of a hotel in Chiang Mai when a 5.5, directly under the city, shook us. My Thai wife, in the other room, called out, "Stop that". I said, "It's not me". by then the shaking stopped. A half hour later we went shopping near one of the high-rise hotels and all the guests were still milling around outside. I guess the higher floors really felt it. It knocked a few bricks loose on a very old Wat; otherwise no damage. The next day I was talking to some friends who were playing golf at the time and they felt nothing. I can deal with hurricanes but I can't deal with earthquakes. i haven't been to Chiang Mai since then.

[KIWIBATCH]

TAT = Try A Tremble

Really?........ TAT advises hotel bookings have dropped due the earthquake..........amazing deduction...how many of the TAT team were required to "work" on this statement I wonder...must have been all night think tank meeting to come up with this

[TeeKay]

I wonder if being critical of Thais goes hand in hand with sitting in your skid stained shorts in your rented 1 room flat hoping for the price of beer to drop?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[onni4me]

Cancellations after earthquake damage?

No <deleted>, Sherlock!

[marko kok prong]

I am waiting with anticipation to see what weird and wonderful scheme Tat will come up with to lure tourists back to the area.

[Thai at Heart]

TAT = Try A Tremble

Really?........ TAT advises hotel bookings have dropped due the earthquake..........amazing deduction...how many of the TAT team were required to "work" on this statement I wonder...must have been all night think tank meeting to come up with this

TAT always on the ball and fast on the draw huh?