Haze raises tourism concerns in Chiang Mai

BANGKOK, Febraury 21 (TNA) - Government and private authorities are concerned over long-term negative impacts of haze on tourism in Thailand's northern resort Chiang Mai Province. Phunat Thanalaopanich, President of the Northern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, told journalists tour operators were afraid that haze covering the heart of Chiang Mai currently would persist and affect the provincial tourism. However, Phunat said since late last year, hotel occupancy rates in Chiang Mai have stood satisfactorily at about 80 per cent, noting that most visitors to the renowned northern Thai resort city are Thai and other Asian nationals who appear not to be worried over air pollution, a different phenomenon from what happened in over the past 3-4 years when haze cut the number of foreign visitors by over 20 per cent. Chalermsak Suranant, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)'s Chiang Mai office conceded if haze continued for a month, it could have long-term negative impacts on local tourism. Narong Khongprasert, Chairman of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, said he hoped that local authorities could contain haze; otherwise, it would affect local tourism, a main source of Chiang Mai's revenues, as the province normally earns over 35 billion baht annually from tourism. Local tour operators in Chiang Mai acknowledged if the government solved haze effectively, Chiang Mai could maintain its positive tourism atmosphere and they have already prepared many events for the upcoming off-season of the province. (TNA)