High waters deter river-cruise tourists, but problem seen as short-term
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Local and foreign tourists are avoiding waterfall and river cruises because of high water levels in the Northern and Central regions, the president of the Thai Eco Tourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA) said yesterday.
“Many tourists, both Thais and foreigners, are shifting their schedules for rafting and river cruising, as well as from waterfalls, in the North and in the Central region to other places because of water overflows,” Sumitra Mutturanont said.
She added that only a few attractions were really effected by flooding, and not severely. For instance, Mae Sai Market on the Thailand-Myanmar border in Chiang Rai province was hit for one day and now has returned to normal.
Tourist destinations in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya are not yet flooded, so tour operators are carrying on with their trips as planned.
However, business at many waterfalls and rivers will be hit for about a week as cruise lovers and adventure tourists change their plans and move to other areas.
“When the huge storms pass by, tourism will be back to normal,” she said.
In Chiang Mai, the water level in the Ping River is higher than normal but still lower than last year, so people are still visiting the province.
In Chiang Rai, the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Isara Stapanaseth, confirmed that the Kok River was lower now and many foreign tourists remained in the province but were avoiding rafting, trekking, and cruising.
Teerasak Thachan, marketing manager at The Legend Resort and Spa, which is on the bank of the Kok River, said many Western tourists had retained their bookings.
TEATA expects a slight drop in adventure tourism this week, but is confident it will rebound soon after the rain passes.
For Bangkok, despite warnings issued about flooding by the Chao Phraya River, the association sees no cause for worry as in the past. Some tourists plan to enjoy sightseeing on the canals.
Half of the country was hit by major flooding a few years ago. Tourism sites and industrial estates sustained great damage.
