DUBAI: The UAE’s demand for holidays in Thailand continues to be lower, after a series of attacks that have rocked the country this month, according to travel agents.
On August 12, tourism hotshots across the country such as Phuket and Hua Hin, were bombed. More recently on Tuesday, bombs exploded in the town of Pattani, leaving at least one dead and dozens injured.
At Lama Tours in Dubai, bookings of holiday packages from the UAE to Thailand have dropped this month. “We have also seen some families that were travelling to Hua Hin postponing their travel,” said Kulwant Singh, the tour operator’s managing director.
Similarly, Premjit Bangara, general manager at Sharaf Travel, said the attacks have “negatively impacted” bookings to Thailand.
“Today, two families [from the UAE] have cancelled their bookings for the Eid holidays, “ he said, adding that bookings to Thailand have dropped by at least 15 per cent this month compared to the same period last year.
However, Karan Anand, head of relationships at Cox & Kings, said demand for Thailand has been steady in the last week and there has not been a dip in tourists’ interest in the destination.
“We believe that the issue in Thailand has not had any impact on bookings. There has not been any cancellation from the UAE to Thailand,” he said.
Thailand’s economy is heavily dependent on tourism, with the sector’s total contribution standing at 20.8 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). In 2015, the country was ranked 6th globally for tourism receipts and 11th for international arrivals, according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Tourism Highlights report.
Tourist arrivals increased 8.2 per cent in the second quarter of this year over the same period last year to 7.55 million.
Thailand has traditionally been popular with travellers from the Middle East.
“Thailand is one of the most popular destinations from the Middle East and UAE travellers in particular love to visit Thailand for short vacations,” Lama Tours’ Singh said.
Echoing Singh’s views, Cox & Kings’ Anand said: “Thailand is a very popular destination and apart from Bangkok, destinations such as Phi Phi Island in Krabi, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya are popular among those staying in the UAE.”
Travel agents are optimistic that tourism to Thailand will recover in the long-term.
“It is sad to know what happened in Thailand, but Thailand is a popular destination. It will revive back and I am sure that in the coming years it will once again be one of the most popular destinations for UAE travellers,” Singh said.
