MERS outbreak does not affect inbound tourism



BANGKOK: -- The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) epidemic in South Korea that has claimed seven lives won't affect the Thai inbound tourism sector, according to Kasikorn Research Center.

Kasikorn Research Centre estimated that MERS epidemic in South Korea has not affected Thai tourism sector and there have been no South Korean tourists suffering Mers visiting Thailand at the moment.

Therefore, it said the projected number of this year arrivals of South Korean travelers is still set at 1.31 million, or a growth of 17 percent.

But the business think-tank said the epidemic will likely affect the number of Thai tourists visiting South Korea as the number will drop 8.9 percent or 437,500 people will reconsider visiting South Korea.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/mers-outbreak-does-not-affect-inbound-tourism


-- Thai PBS 2015-06-10

^{Whew, thank goodness for this "think" tank we have here. Of course the only important concern with MERS, or anything actually, is how it will affect tourism numbers.}

Nothing ever impacts Thai tourism especially when it is K-Bank doing the research. They are right up there with TATs positive numbers.

Gov’t adjusts tourism strategy, gears up MERS prevention

BANGKOK, 10 June 2015 (NNT) The tourism strategy has been adjusted by the government to achieve a 2 trillion baht revenue in tourism, while a medical team is set to be deployed in South Korea to take care of Thai nationals at the risk from the MERS-CoV epidemic.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen Tanasak Patimapragorn has revealed that the National Tourism Policy Committee is satisfied with the short term 3-year sustainable tourism strategy that is currently being adjusted for the compatibility with all related agencies.

The adjusted tourism strategy will then be presented to the Cabinet to approve the necessary budget for operations, while the income from tourism products is expected to be above 2 trillion baht per year.

Regarding the MERS-CoV epidemic in South Korea, that the situation does not affect Thai tourism, the DPM has said that authorities are working to prevent an outbreak in Thailand throught the same equipments utilized during the Ebola outbreak, which is more severe than MERS-CoV.

He has said that the Thai Embassy in South Korea is now taking care of the Thai nationals in Korea, while a voluntary medical team has been deployed to South Korea to monitor the health conditions of Thai nationals as a preventative method.

The DPM asserts that there are no Thai nationals suspected of contracting the MERS-CoV infection.


-- NNT 2015-06-10

Thank God!

That is the most important news we could hope for, out of a spreading disease!

Nothing affects Thai tourism

C'mon. This will be easy to handle. After all, the authorities sussed out a cure for Ebola last year.