Thailand aim to rebuild tourism industry ASAP

:: Travel Weekly -::

"REBUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME. That seems to be the expectation in the areas of Thailand hardest hit by last month’s tsunami....The urgency to rebuild reflects the region’s dependence on tourism. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket alone is losing more than $10 million a day during the peak tourism season. Although 90% of Phuket’s rooms are intact, only 20% of the rooms are occupied, most by rescue and relief workers. Still, Buddhani said the tourism authority is sticking with its projection that tourism will grow by 10% this year to more than 13 million visitors. "