Twenty per cent of those surveyed in 10 countries by VISA Asia Pacific and PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association, named Thailand as their most likely destination, VISA and Bangkok-based PATA said in a statement.

 The survey of 5,050 people identified as "committed or possible Asia travellers" was conducted online between late February and March, they said.

 About two-thirds of those surveyed had already visited Asia, and 47 per cent of those had been to Thailand.

 "In fact, Thailand was again rated as the number one destination on travellers' holiday lists, followed by Japan and China," VISA and PATA said in a news release.

 "Thailand's reputation as a relaxing place where people can enjoy the local culture, natural beauty and friendly people continued to increase in the minds of those looking to travel to Asia," despite international media attention on the country's civil unrest ahead of the survey, the news release said.

 A bloodless coup occurred in Thailand last September when tanks rolled onto the streets to overthrow the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Since then, violence has escalated in the country's Muslim-majority south bordering Malaysia.

 On the Lunar New Year in February, just before VISA-PATA conducted their survey, militants staged bombings, shootings and arson attacks that left nine dead in the south.

 Three other people died and dozens were hurt in the capital, Bangkok, after bombs on the December 31 New Year's Eve.

 Official Thai statistics this month showed Asian tourists have begun turning away from Thailand, prompting concern that holidaymakers might be avoiding the kingdom because of its continuing political woes.

 The VISA-PATA survey found that of those intending to make an international trip in the next two years, 52 per cent were considering Asia as their next travel destination, a nine per cent increase from the previous year's survey.

 Sweden had the highest number of people considering Asia, it said.

 Nearly half, or 47 per cent of respondents in the VISA-PATA survey identified "terrorism" as the top  barrier to travel, and Indonesia was the destination most commonly identified as affected by it. Sri Lanka and the Philippines followed.

 "In an atmosphere of conflict and misunderstanding, the travel and tourism industry can be an incredibly powerful force for conciliation," said PATA president and chief executive officer Peter de Jong.

 The survey was conducted in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States.

 PATA, a not-for-profit organisation, represents government tourism bodies, airlines and other travel industry companies.

Agence France Presse