Tourism industry in Thailand hard hits by flood

BANGKOK, December 8 (TNA) - Foreign tourists visiting Thailand in 2011 is projected to sharply retreat about 10 per cent from 2010 due to tourist concerns over severe flooding in the country during the rainy season, said Pornthip Hirunkate, vice president of Tourism Council of Thailand. A total of 18.5 million foreign tourists are expected to visit the kingdom in 2011, down one million from earlier projection, and the country is expected to earn approximately 700 billion baht, Pornthip said. Besides that the country is projected to lose business opportunity not less than 50 billion, she said. During the first ten months this year, 15.79 million tourists visited Thailand, up 25.01 per cent from the corresponding period of 2010. However, the number plunged in November following severe flood in Thailand, she said. Earnings from local tourists travelling their own country are projected to lose about 20 billion baht on floods which have ravaged the country over two months, Pornthip said. As floodwater is receding in almost every part of the country, tourism industry has begun to improve as tourists have planned to make travelling and visit places where exact dates have been announced. It is believed that the industry should start improving in the first quarter of 2012. Pornthip urged the government to help stimulate the industry by reducing personal income tax amounting 15,000 baht for travelers who could produce receipts of tourism firms, organising seminars of government agencies and exempting visa fee for Chinese and Indian tourists visiting the kingdom, aimed at boosting the number of tourists from these two countries visiting Thailand. (TNA)