Thai travel hits rock bottom
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-01-18 08:59

Dpmestic travel agents are offering record low prices for package tours to Thailand during the Spring Festival, aiming at boosting the tourism industry in the tsunami-savaged area.

Domestic and international airlines have also lowered fares to major cities in Southeast Asia, ranging from 200 yuan (US$24) to 600 yuan lower than before the catastrophe.

One travel agency was offering a 6-day tour to Thailand for only 1,280 yuan, more than 10 percent lower than the price last week, and 50 percent lower than the Spring Festival last year, said a report on the Southern Metropolitan News.

Another travel agency re-opened its 5-day package tour to Thailand's Phuket Island and Coral Island for 2,880 yuan after suspending it two weeks ago.

The agency also offered a buy-two-get-one-free deal where any two people joining the tour could bring an extra person for free. The cost of the tour is then less than 2,200 yuan per person, 1,600 yuan lower than the normal price and 2,600 yuan lower than the Spring Festival fare last year.

Ye Hanping, director of a large travel agency, said it would be an ideal time to travel to Thailand, which was not busy and most economical. Tourism was another way to help the tsunami-hit countries.

Many Guangzhou residents changed their festival travel plans from Southeast Asian countries to Europe, Australia, South Africa, Japan and South Korea in fear of beaches and seafood being contaminated in the tidal waves, as well as the possible outbreak of epidemics after the huge death toll.

However, the report said there no disease had been found in Thailand as of Monday, A disease supervision station had been established and people need not worry about the situation in Thailand, said the report.

An investigation carried out by the Thai Government and its environmental protection department found that only about 5 percent of the coral reefs along the Thai coast had been contaminated or destroyed.

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