Longer visas for Japanese considered
Published: 23/03/2011 at 12:00 AM
Local tourism operators are asking the government to offer visas of more than 30 days' duration to Japanese tourists wanting to escape the troubles besetting their country.
"We just want to help the Japanese in the aftermath of their massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. But it will be up to the government to decide," said Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourist Association.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday revised down this year's forecast for international tourist arrivals from 16.78 million to 16.47 million.
The revision was due mainly to the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan and continuing protests and political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa.
At home, the TAT forecast tourism revenue during the five-day Songkran holiday will reach five billion baht. More than 50 activities are planned at 13 popular destinations to attract more Thais, especially those who have cancelled trips to Japan.
Thawatchai Arunyik, the agency's deputy governor for domestic marketing, said the TAT hoped the number of local trips during the Songkran Festival would rise significantly.
About 10% of those who have cancelled their Japanese trips will opt to travel domestically instead, he said.
About 100,000 trips to Japan are expected to be cancelled in the wake of the devastation wrought by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in the Sendai area on the northeastern coast.
More than 50 activities in 13 key tourism area _ Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Chon Buri, Samut Prakan, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Nakhon Phanom, Khon Kaen, Nong Khai, Hat Yai, Phuket and Nakhon Si Thammarat _ will be held throughout next month.
These areas expect combined tourism revenue of two billion baht during the Songkran festival, up from 1.7 billion last year. Nationwide revenue will exceed five billion baht.
"The tourism industry will clearly outperform in this year's Songkran festival after suffering from the domestic political turmoil of 2009-10," said Mr Thawatchai..
"We expect average hotel occupancy of 70% nationwide, far better than last year, which saw red-shirt demonstrations in the Ratchaprasong area."
At present, Songkran bookings for Pattaya hotels are almost full, while Chiang Mai is seeing only 44%.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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