Cheap THAI tours 'damaging' A wide range of massively discounted tour packages put in place by Thai Airways International and starting from just Bt3,500 to the South's tsunami-affected destinations go on sale today. But while they might be perceived as part of a great campaign, the packages will damage the tourism industry's market mechanisms, because the government is going about it the wrong way, says domestic Travel Association president Massalin Sukpattananarakul. The packages, part of the government's tourism-promotion scheme aimed at helping the South's tourism industry recover, include round-trip air tickets and hotel accommodation for three days and two nights with breakfast. The main destinations are Phuket, Krabi and Trang provinces. Massalin said THAI had been too selective in how the packages were to be sold and had not considered that such good-value deals to the South might stop people from travelling elsewhere in the Kingdom. Recent arrival records at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport show tourist figures were down 1.1 per cent, to 2.58 million, in the first four months of this year. Japanese tourist arrivals grew just 3 per cent compared with 10-per-cent growth in the corresponding period last year. Chinese tourist arrivals dropped 28 per cent year-on-year in the first four months. Hotel occupancy rates in Phuket have fallen to only 20 per cent, their lowest ever. Package prices per-trip, per-head start at Bt3,500, although prices vary depending on which hotel is chosen. Packages can be booked via any THAI-affiliated sales representative or at all THAI counters. Massalin said if the packages were part of a government-supported scheme, they should be open to all travel agents, not limited to those assigned by THAI. And she said there were problems with the number of hotels invited to participate. Sasithorn Ongdee The Nation 22 June 2005 www.nationmultimedia.com
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