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As industry leaders unite to create a long-term recovery campaign for tourism to Asia, under the auspices of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and industry charity The Travel Foundation, we assess the damage and look at the recovery strategies put in place by the region’s tourism authorities.

Thailand
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is planning to get as many UK agents and media out to Thailand as soon as possible so they can see for themselves that tourist resorts have not been as badly affected as it would appear from media reports. TAT UK marketing manager Richard Hume said he would be taking groups out to Thailand as early as next month.

“I hadn’t planned to take any media out until later in the year, but it’s important that we take them now to islands that were not affected – as well as to those that were – so they can report on the reality of the situation.”

Hume is planning three to four trips, taking up to 10 people on each. TAT will continue with its plans to take a group of travel agents out to film a training DVD next month, as planned. The itinerary has been amended to miss out Ko Racha, as the hotel hosting the trip was damaged.

The TAT will also launch a month-long outdoor advertising campaign in London and Manchester in mid-February.The campaign was due to run this month but was postponed out of respect for those who lost their lives.

“We didn’t want to run it in January because it would have been insensitive, but we have to get the balance right in being sensitive and helping Thailand recover,” said Hume.

How to help: if you want to help the TAT is recommending people make a donation or volunteer their services to the Thai Red Cross Society, which can be reached at redcross.or.th/english/home/index.php4.

Indonesia
Bali, which attracts the vast majority of tourists to Indonesia, was totally unaffected by the tsunami, but the destination’s tourism industry is not likely to be shouting about the fact.

The island was taken off sale by British tour operators before Christmas following a new FCO warning of terrorist activity and, until the travel ban is lifted, there would be no point advertising in the UK, they say.

“Also people in Bali are very sensitive to the fact that other destinations are suffering because of the tsunami,” said Richard Parks, who represents several Bali hotels in the UK.

“They don’t want to say ‘come to Bali instead of Thailand’ when they know Thailand needs tourists and that it’s perfectly okay for people to return. Also, occupancy levels in Bali are quite good at the moment because nationals from other countries are still able to travel there.”

Malaysia
Malaysia will be seizing the opportunity to show the world it’s business as usual at all of its beach resorts during this week’s ASEAN Tourism Forum, taking place on the island of Langkawi off Malaysia’s northwest coast.

An estimated 1,600 delegates from 50 countries are due to attend the event. This includes about 400 tour operators and up to 100 journalists from international publications.

Tourism Malaysia UK director Mohmed Razip Hasan said: ”Most of Langkawi escaped the tsunami and there has been minimal damage to hotels and resorts which are operating fully during the current peak season.”

Tourism Malaysia is encouraging the travel industry and consumers to call, visit the office off Trafalgar Square or log on to the website at malaysiatrulyasia.com to find the latest information on travelling to Malaysia.

Hasan added: “We are keen to highlight that Malaysia remains a safe destination for tourists – with attractions and flights operating as scheduled.”

Sri Lanka
Up to 15 key tour operators have been invited by the tourist board to visit Sri Lanka early next month to see for themselves that the majority of hotels hit by the tsunami have reopened and infrastructure has been repaired.

Sri Lanka Tourist Board UK director Charmarie Maelge has also been trying to persuade the Federation of Tour Operators to send inspectors to the island as soon as possible to reassure the trade that it is safe for tourists.

“I have spent a great deal of time appearing on TV channels persuading the public that, with the exception of five or six hotels, most of the areas affected by the tsunami are operating again,” said Maelge.

“Our priority now is to persuade the trade that Sri Lanka is alive and kicking. Only the southern beach areas have been affected and everywhere else is fine.”

Agents can go to contactsrilanka.org for an update on the situation in Sri Lanka, including which hotels have been affected. How to help: contact the High Commission on 020-7262 1841 or visit cnosrilanka.org which is co-ordinating aid and volunteers.

India
Indiatourism will continue with its Incredible India marketing campaign and will host a number of journalists over the next few months to try to convey the message that it is business as usual in all tourist areas.

Indiatourism UK director Vivek Angra said: “We also want to convey through our PR activities that the casualties largely affected poor fishermen living very close to the coast. The few hotels that were partially damaged have been repaired and are now back in business.

“We will attempt to highlight to the travel trade and consumers that India is a huge country – the north of India is more than 1,000 miles away from the nearest coastal resort.”

How to help: the Pacific Asia Travel Association Foundation Tsunami Recovery Fund has been set up to rebuild skills and livelihoods of tourism workers in tsunami-affected areas. The fund is being administered by the PATA Foundation, the charitable arm of PATA which has disbursed funds to tourism related conservation projects for the past 20 years.

How to help: to find out more or to make a donation, visit pata.org/tsunami.

Singapore
Singapore has delayed the second phase of its Uniquely Singapore advertising campaign, including radio ads and pop-ups on travel websites, until next month.

Singapore Tourism Board manager tourism business Anna Rajah said although the destination was not directly affected by the disaster it wasn’t appropriate to run the campaign this month.

Singapore is also taking part in an outdoor advertising campaign with Thailand, running in February, and Rajah said further marketing initiatives were planned for later in the year.

“New campaigns will kick off in March and April to make people aware that Singapore and Asia are still sellable,” said Rajah.

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