Tourism may get Ebola-fear leg up
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Travel operators have suggested targeting foreign tourists who are concerned about travelling to the West because of the Ebola outbreak.
Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, suggested that Thai hotels and travel operators consider promoting the Kingdom as an Ebola-free destination.
He said a lot of tourists would avoid travelling to the US, Europe, and Africa for fear of getting infecting with the deadly disease shaking the global travel industry. “Without [any recorded cases of] Ebola here, it is a good time to encourage tourists into the country,” Ittirit said.
Thai tourism has taken a hit this year due to political situation. The number of visitor arrivals is expected to drop by up to 20 per cent this year.
But Ittirit said that if operators offered attractive promotions tourist numbers, especially from long-haul markets, should increase. A lot of vacant rooms would be filled, especially in Bangkok.
According to Suparerk Soorangura, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association – the country’s outbound body – the Ebola outbreak was impacting on travel movement in and out of Western countries.
Suparerk said some Thai travel operators had revealed that they were receiving more calls from agencies in Europe in order to switch trips to Thailand and other countries in Asia.
In a bid to encourage more Europeans to travel here, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has organised marketing activities, including the Amazing Thailand Road Show 2014, in four markets – France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg from September 29 to October 2.
TAT will lead 25 tourism entities, comprising destination management companies, hotels and airlines, to meet with 28 tourism operators and 75 travel agencies at the event in Paris. For the three Benelux countries, 60 tourism operators and 200 travel agents will attend.
