The powerful tsunami attack hitting the coastlines of the Indian Ocean on 26 December has come as a big shock to the world. But it appears that, as so often before, incompetence, greed and bureaucratic bungling have made the natural disaster worse. And once again, the tourism industry is playing a very problematic role in this drama that is still ongoing.
Ironically, Thailand’s tourism authorities have been running a promotional campaign under the slogan “Happiness on Earth”. But the country’s tourism lobby has obviously learned little from the HIV/AIDS, SARS or bird flu crises. This time, the international community has taken note with grave concern – if not anger - that a tsunami warning in Thailand was very well possible but may have been halted in order “to protect” tourism. Experts say that ringing the alarm bells following the news about the earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra could have saved thousands of lives, reduced injuries and reduced some of the property damages.
It is also sad that in the aftermath of the tsunami, locals in southern Thailand repeatedly complained that government agencies only send rescue teams to major beach resort areas – in Phuket, Phi Phi Islands and Khao Lak, for example –, while other local communities were desperately waiting for help. Only three days after the tsunami attack, reports began to surface in the official media about the immeasurable losses and hardships faced by locals.
On the other hand, it took the corporate tourism industry only a few hours to throw on their propaganda machines at full speed in order to lure back tourists as soon as possible. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) issued a statement on 27 December, saying “Most of Asia unaffected by Tsunami”, but then listed Asia’s most important coastal and marine tourist destinations that were all destroyed by the natural disaster. Other hotel and resort businesses in affected areas of South and Southeast Asia were quick to downplay or even deny the damages of their facilities. With no remorse for the thousands of dead bodies piling up on the beaches, they were keen to get out the message to the world that everything was getting back to normal so there was no need for sun-seeking holidaymakers to cancel their trip.
Ironically, Thailand’s tourism authorities have been running a promotional campaign under the slogan “Happiness on Earth”. But the country’s tourism lobby has obviously learned little from the HIV/AIDS, SARS or bird flu crises. This time, the international community has taken note with grave concern – if not anger - that a tsunami warning in Thailand was very well possible but may have been halted in order “to protect” tourism. Experts say that ringing the alarm bells following the news about the earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra could have saved thousands of lives, reduced injuries and reduced some of the property damages.
It is also sad that in the aftermath of the tsunami, locals in southern Thailand repeatedly complained that government agencies only send rescue teams to major beach resort areas – in Phuket, Phi Phi Islands and Khao Lak, for example –, while other local communities were desperately waiting for help. Only three days after the tsunami attack, reports began to surface in the official media about the immeasurable losses and hardships faced by locals.
On the other hand, it took the corporate tourism industry only a few hours to throw on their propaganda machines at full speed in order to lure back tourists as soon as possible. The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) issued a statement on 27 December, saying “Most of Asia unaffected by Tsunami”, but then listed Asia’s most important coastal and marine tourist destinations that were all destroyed by the natural disaster. Other hotel and resort businesses in affected areas of South and Southeast Asia were quick to downplay or even deny the damages of their facilities. With no remorse for the thousands of dead bodies piling up on the beaches, they were keen to get out the message to the world that everything was getting back to normal so there was no need for sun-seeking holidaymakers to cancel their trip.
