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Thailand's tourism industry set to lose billions
Travel advisories, rumors of contagious disease scare visitors away, say tourism officials
Though the floods have eased, many communities on Bangkok's outskirts are still under water. Thailand's tourism industry looks set to lose approximately 16-19 billion baht (US$510-607 million) due to the flood crisis if the situation ends in December, says the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
In a report by state-run news organization MCOT, Thailand's Tourism and Sports Ministry Spokesman Watchara Kannikar said the ongoing floods have cost the country 400,000-750,000 foreign visitors.
The TAT says foreign visitors have either cancelled or delayed their trips to Thailand due to "the enduring image of flooded Don Muang Airport, the issuance of travel advisory against Thailand by many countries and rumors of contagious diseases resulting from floods."
To tackle the rumors of contagious diseases, the Thai government will team up with the World Health Organization to clarify the matter this week to ease travelers' fears, said the MCOT report.
Though the situation has improved for most, many communities on Bangkok's outskirts are still waiting for dirty, stagnant flood water to recede.
