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BANGKOK - The government should help offset losses suffered by Thai Airways International (THAI) on some key destinations; so the national carrier can resume flights and benefit the tourism industry over the long-term, according to Phuket's Tourism Association.
Pattanapong Ekvanich, the association's president, said on Saturday that the loss of direct flights from Japan to Phuket -- suspended after the last December tsunami -- would negatively impact tourism along the Andaman coast in the long-term.
THAI even reporedly plans to also suspend its Phuket-Sydney route after this year's holiday season.
Although THAI suffered losses on these routes after the last December's tsunami disaster, the government could help offset the losses, as benefits from tourism, including hotel revenues and shopping, would be huge and could be seen in long-term, said Mr. Pattanapong.
Tourism revenues in Phuket almost a year after the tsunami devastated the resort island had declined nearly 50 per cent, a loss of over Bt30 billion from the more than Bt75 billion the island formerly earned annually before the disaster took place.
Tourism along the Andaman Sea coastal provinces has started to improve steadily with the average hotel room occupancy rate in November-December reported at 70 per cent, Mr. Pattanapong said, and is expected to rise further to between 80-90 per cent in February and March next year.
Before the tsunami, Phuket was formerly fully booked at this time of year.
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