Special Pattaya hotel deals to counter effects of swine flu

Operators and the state agency should be ready with their special deals in Pattaya and nearby islands by Thursday.

TAT chief Weerasak Kowsurat said average hotel occupancy in Pattaya had dropped from 45-65 per cent last June to only 20 per cent now.

"This campaign should help hotel occupancy rates return to 45-65 per cent," Weerasak said.

Hotel operators and tourism-related firms are discussing packages and figure they will be offering discounts as large as 70 per cent.

"The promotion will stimulate tourism in the short term," Weerasak explained.

He said the TAT was planning a series of immediate measures to deal with the flu crisis.

"We've faced several crises in the past, such as flooding, smog and now this new flu, but never implemented measures that were efficient enough to deal with them," Weerasak said.

He also said the TAT was working hand in hand with the Public Health Ministry and hoped to come up with disease-control measures soon.

Wansadet Thavornsuk, the TAT's deputy governor for domestic marketing, said the agency was still targeting 87 million domestic trips this year, up from last year's 84 million. However, revenue is expected to remain the same at Bt400 billion.

They are also prepared for international tourist arrivals to drop 10 per cent this year from both the flu outbreak and the global economic slowdown, Wansadet added.