Thailand’s most powerful floods in 50 years have not put off tourists from Russia’s Primorye Territory, Sergei Rybnikov, Deputy Director of the regional International Cooperation and Tourism Department, said on Wednesday.
There is a growing demand for travel packages to Thailand three weeks before the New Year, he said.
Caused by the unusually high rainfall during the rainy season, the floods began in July 2011, affecting 26 out of 77 provinces. Almost 500,000 people suffered from the flooding in the capital Bangkok. The government’s preliminary estimates of the economic damage come to $10 billion.
Since new floods have stopped hitting the coastal areas, the water has become much cleaner, while “the sharks and other dangerous sea inhabitants which tourists fear have receded back into the depths,” Rybnikov said.
A manager at one of the leading local travel agencies said, “All our charter flights from now until the end of January are fully booked, despite the fact that the average price of a Thailand package holiday for two costs over 120,000 rubles [some $4,000].”
Travel company representatives say the tours are popular with large groups of young people and families with children.
