Appeal to tourists to visit SE Asia

TSUNAMI-wracked south east Asia appealed to would-be helpers today: take a holiday.

"If you have not planned a visit, please consider booking a trip. If you wish to make a difference, visit," the president of the Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association, Peter de Jong, said in an appeal to travellers.

Images of the killer waves crashing into Asian beach resorts have frightened away many of the tourists that those areas rely upon so heavily for income.

Perceptions may be more damaging to business than the actual devastation to the resorts. Most are receiving visitors again and even the worst-affected areas plan to be fully up and running by Easter.

Across the region, tourism infrastructure was swamped, crushed, swept out to sea but largely survived.

In the Maldives, the 143 million tourism industry constitutes 33% of the country's gross national product. The area was inundated by the Stephen's Day disaster, but according to government spokesman Ahmed Shaheed, 64 out of 87 resorts are still in business.

Occupancy rates that are usually near 100% are down by half, he said.

In Thailand, resorts in the Khao Lak region were nearly wiped out, with hundreds of foreign tourists among the victims.

The country's key holiday spot of Phuket the source of some of the most dramatic images of the waves crashing ashore also suffered hundreds of deaths. Yet only 10% of rooms in the area are out of commission.

Still, tourists appear unwilling to visit areas so recently touched by tragedy and where the aftermath is still being dealt with.

"People are avoiding the beach now," said Clama Rocky of Eureka Travel in Singapore. "There's just a worry about unpleasant things like coming across dead bodies. It's not nice for the kids," she said.

Tourist arrivals at the airport in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, are down 27%.

Hotel occupancy rates in the country's south usually around 80% at this time of year have fallen to as little as 10%.

The tsunami hit during the peak tourism season in Thailand. Cancellations have even hit Thailand's east coast

resorts such as Pattaya and Hua Hin that were completely unaffected by the tsunami. Thai tourism

authorities say the drop-off could cost the country's economy about 764m this year.

"The negative impact will only be exacerbated if tourists cancel or postpone their visits," de Jong said.