Tourism in HH

[Fybo]

Has tourism been affected in HH after the terrible tsunami tragedy? I’ve heard that quite a large number of tourists are cancelling trips to Thailand, regardless of their destination.

I’ve also been told that some tour operators who have people booked for say, Phuket, are being offered alternative accommodation in HH or Pattaya.

Does anyone have any views or comments on the above, would appreciate it. (BTW I will still be having my annual vacation in HH at the end of next month.)

[lomuamart]

It's a bit difficult to tell as all the major hotels etc always "talk their trade up" at this time of year.
Simply walking around town, I would reckon it's seasonally as busy as ever.
For sure, there are people who have had their holiday destinations changed, but even HH has a ceiling on room availability.
I've read in the British press that there has not been a rush to cancel holidays.

[buksida]

Just as busy as I've ever seen it. A few guesthouse owners have told me stories of having to turn people away over new year.

This from TAT indicates that its likely to increase:

Hua Hin and Cha-Am top Thailand’s tourist campaign

BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched campaigns to boost the number of foreign visitors to two of the country’s world class seaside resorts in the southern provinces of Prachaup Khiri Khan and Petchburi.

The TAT has launched different campaigns to attract foreign visitors from both Asia and Europe to the two beach towns of Hua Hin and Cha-Am in Prachaup Khiri Khan and Petchburi.

The authority hopes to attract two million visitors to these two tourist resorts in 2005, compared to 1.7 million of last year.

Hau Hin and Cha-Am are renowned for their scenic landscapes.

But Thai tourist officials believe that more Thais and foreign tourists will be attracted to these resorts by the new service industries there, including spas, health care and golf courses, the local tourist chief, Silachai Surai told TNA.

The TAT is targeting tourists from Scandinavia, Japan and South Korea, as well as local tourists.

Last October, the TAT launched campaigns abroad and locally, dubbed “Thailand happiness on Earthâ€

[Fybo]

Cheers for that.

[Bamboo Grove]

I'm in Phuket at the moment and although it doesn't seem too busy, life seems to go on as usual. Just arrived after dark and will leave early in the morning so can't say anything about the beach life. I was in Khao Lak working as an interpreter for one Finnish journalist. That place seemed like a ghost town, though.

[Keoni]

Hey Bamboo Grove,

When in Phuket, what was the condition of Karon Beach area? I checked a few websites and found one -http://www.sawadee.com/tsunami/hotels.htm which seemed to indicate that most hotels along Karon Beach suffered very little if any damage? Meanwhile just a few minutes up the road, many hotels along Patong beach seem to have been severly damaged/destroyed?

I've never been to Phuket and had been considering going to the Hilton Arcadia at Karon Beach. Their website states that they're open and the beach clean up there is complete!?!?!

I hope I don't sound selfish here. I've been to Hua Hin twice now, and had been considering splitting my next trip between Hua Hin, Koh Nangyuan(or something similar), and Phuket. Like some have said, it would only hurt the economy more if people are afraid to visit Thailand and take their tourism/$$$ elsewhere.

With that said, I would hate to book a trip to Karon Beach, get to the Hilton there only to find the rest of the town washed away, no shopping, dining, nightlife etc. I can spend the time and $$$ elsewhere in Thailand, still support the economy, and still have a good holiday.

Maybe I should just put off a visit to Phuket until 2006?

What do you think?

Thanks for your help.

[Bamboo Grove]

I don't think Karon was that badly affected but I didn't go there. Stayed at Patong and only the Beach Road was quiet, everything else was in business. I think Kamala beach suffered the most but cleaning there has progressed quite well. I think that Arcadia is open if their website claims so.

[Farang]

Have just returned from a stretch of volunteer work in Phuket. Kata beach is all Ok except Club Med which suffered minor damage. Karon is all Ok, Patong mostly Ok. There's no reason for not going to Phuket. It's business as usual.

http://disaster-journal.tripod.com/

[Stormy]

I am a travel agent in the UK and it seems that people are generaly not put off going to Thailand and we think tourism to Hua Hin will increase in the comming year due to people moving holidays from effected parts of Thailand and other asian areas - whether that is a good thing or not we will have to wait and see!!!