Thailand
The western coast of southern
Thailand, including the tourist resorts of Phuket and Phi Phi islands
and Krabi and Phang Nga on the mainland.
Extent of the damage
Coastal towns and beach resorts lining the Andaman coast of Phuket
have been badly affected, including the
beaches of Bong Tao, Kamala, Patong, Kata and Karon. On the adjacent
mainland the beach resort of Khao Lak in Phang Nga has been destroyed,
with huge loss of life. Farther south, the provinces of Krabi, Trang
and Ranong have also been damaged, along with the island of Koh Lanta.
All the infrastructure and resort properties on Phi Phi island (made
famous by The Beach) have been destroyed.
Expected recovery
The Tourism Authority of Thailand predicted
this week that 70 per cent of the damage in the worst hit provinces
would be repaired within three months. Tourism Authority of Thailand:
0870 900 2007, www.thaismile.co.uk.
Foreign Office advice
The FO advises against travel to the affected
areas, in particular, Phuket, Krabi and Khao Lak until local conditions
improve. It warns that infrastructure and buildings are extensively
damaged, and advises against all but essential travel to the far southern
provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla due to the threat
of terrorism.
Refunds and cancellations
The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) has confirmed that
most tour operators have cancelled all departures
to affected areas until January 31. Clients may be offered alternative
destinations or a full refund. Thomson has cancelled all holidays
to affected areas of Thailand for departures up to and including next
Friday and customers are being offered a full refund or an alternative
holiday. Kuoni is allowing customers due to leave up to January 31
to cancel and have a refund, or choose an alternative destination.
MyTravel (which includes Airtours, Aspro, Panorama and Direct Holidays)
has cancelled all trips up to and including tomorrow. Customers are
being offered refunds, or alternative destinations.
Flights
Thai Airways is continuing flights to Phuket
via Bangkok, but is offering people the option of being re-routed
or to cancel and have a refund if they are travelling to Phuket, Krabi
or Trang up to January 15. British Airways' flights to Bangkok are
continuing as normal but those with through tickets to affected areas,
such as Phuket, can re-book for a later date or be re-routed for trips
up to March 18.
Sri
Lanka
Affected
areas
A significant number of tourist resorts
on the country's eastern, southern, south-western and north-eastern
coasts have been damaged and most tourists have been transferred to
alternative accommodation in Colombo. Hotels in Galle, Koggala, Kaluthara,
Beruwela, Trincomalee and Tangalle are the worst affected.
Extent of the damage
Four hotels have suffered structural damage
and tourists staying in these hotels have been taken to alternative
accommodation in Colombo.
Almost all of the hotels along the southern and eastern coastal belt
have suffered flood damage. Many of these areas are without electricity
and the military is helping to evacuate people and provide relief
assistance.
The situation in Sri Lanka remains serious and most tour operators
are cancelling all departures to coastal resorts in the south for
departures at least up to next Friday. The hill country of Sri Lanka
is unaffected and tours to these areas are not being cancelled.
Initial forecast
The Sri Lanka Tourist Board (020
7930 2627 ) predicts that most damaged hotels will be back in operation
by the end of February.
Foreign Office advice
The FO advises against travel to
the affected areas on Sri Lanka's eastern, southern and south-western
coasts until local conditions improve.
Refunds and cancellations
Kuoni is advising those due to travel
to affected areas of Sri Lanka before January 31 to rebook for a later
date, book an alternative holiday for a later date or cancel the holiday
and receive a full refund if they do not wish to continue with the
holiday. Thomson has cancelled all holidays to Sri Lanka until January
31. Customers are being offered a full refund or an alternative holiday.
Flights
Scheduled flights are operating as
normal.
India
Affected
areas
The south-east coast in the
states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Madras was unaffected.
Extent of the damage
Extensive damage to local fishing
communities in areas little visited by tourists, and some flooding
between Madras and Pondicherry; no British casualties. Other parts
of south India, such as Kerala, were not affected.
Initial forecast
Damage is still being assessed, but
most tourist hotels and areas have been unaffected.
Foreign Office advice
The FO advises that with extensive
damage to infrastructure and a "real risk of disease", travellers
should check with their travel company "that it is safe and tenable
to proceed".
Refunds and cancellations
Cox & Kings, which operates tours
to the region, incorporating visits to Pondicherry and the temples
at Mahabalipuram, is running tours as usual. Greaves Travel is expecting
to operate planned trips to the south-east in February.
Flights
All flights to Madras are operating
as normal.
Indonesia
Affected
areas
Sumatra.
Extent of the damage
The western island of Sumatra was
closest to the epicentre of Sunday's earthquake. Dozens of buildings
were destroyed in the intitial earthquake before the tidal wave hit
the provinces of Aceh and North Sumatra. More than a million people
have been left homeless.
Expected recovery
Relief supplies are trickling into
Sumatra but the capital, Banda Aceh, is desperately short of drinking
water. At the time of going to press some seaside towns had still
not been reached and it will be months before people can return there.
The rest of Indonesia remains largely unaffected.
Foreign Office advice
The FO advises against all but essential
travel to Indonesia on the grounds of possible terrorist activity.
It notes that tidal waves caused flooding and damage to the west and
north coasts of Aceh, and advises tourists to avoid the area.
Refunds and cancellations
As a result of the Foreign Office
warning against travel to Indonesia, British operators do not offer
packages to the region. Anyone planning to travel there should contact
their accommodation/travel agents for more advice on which areas are
safe. Banyan Tree is allowing clients staying at its resort on Bintan,
which is far from the affected areas, to reschedule their trips for
the next three months.
Flights
Bali and Jakarta have not been affected
so flights with Garuda Airlines via Kuala Lumpur are operating as
normal.
Maldives
Affected areas
Many of the islands, including
Male, some of which cannot be contacted.
Extent of the damage
High waves and floods inundated the
low-lying islands. Large areas of the capital, Male, have been left
under water but the airport has reopened. The Maldives Tourist Board
reported that of the 87 resorts on the islands, 55 were fully operational,
13 were semi-operational and 19 were unoperational as we went to press.
The islands of Huvafen Fushi and Dhoni Mighili were fully operational,
having sustained minor damage.
Expected recovery
The damage was not as severe as elsewhere
because of the islands' limited infrastructure, protective coral reefs
and distance from the earthquake's epicentre. The status of the semi-operational
resorts was expected to be upgraded to fully operational "within
days". Of the unoperational resorts, some have sustained major
damage; six are expected to take a few months for restoration to be
complete. For further information, contact the Maldives Tourist Board
(00960 323 228, www.visitmaldives.com).
Foreign Office advice
The FO warns of serious damage to a number
of islands but says the picture is unclear because of problems with
communications. Those planning a holiday in the Maldives should check
with their tour operator that their resort/island is operating normally.
British citizens in the Maldives caught up in the tragedy should contact
the British High Commission in Colombo.
Refunds and cancellations
The situation in the Maldives varies from
island to island. In many cases holiday properties have not been badly
damaged and holidays due to commence this weekend were due to operate.
Where properties have been badly damaged, customers will be offered
alternative options, Abta says. However, clients not wishing to travel
may also be given the option of a change in destination or a full
refund. Thomson has said that customers who do not wish to travel
can cancel with a full refund or transfer to another destination until
January 31.
Flights
Thomson, Kuoni and MyTravel are to
resume flights to the Maldives tomorrow.
Malaysia
Affected
areas
Malaysia experienced relatively
little damage. Only the north-west coast of peninsular Malaysia, including
the tourist destinations of Langkawi and Penang, was affected.
Extent of the damage
A handful of hotels in the resorts
of Cenang and Pantai Kok beach on Langkawi, and Batu Ferringhi on
Penang, were damaged, but were all operating normally by the end of
the week. Penang Bridge, which connects the island to the mainland,
was open for use. Overall, the impact was not as severe as in other
parts of the region.
Expected recovery
Tourism Malaysia (020 7930 7932,
www.malaysiatrulyasia.co.uk) said the country was already operating
normally and was taking guests who had transferred from Thailand.
Foreign Office advice
Those intending to visit affected
areas are advised to check with their travel and/or accommodation
agents before travelling.
Refunds and cancellations
Travel companies are operating holidays
as normal.
Flights
All airlines are operating as normal.
Other
affected countries
Somalia
More than 100 Somalis are thought
to have died, with thousands more homeless and many fishermen still
unaccounted for. The island of Hafun was almost completely destroyed,
but damage assessment was difficult due to the lack of a functioning
government. Waves also touched Mauritius, where a northern village
was submerged, and the Reunion islands.
Kenya
In Kenya, one person drowned near the north coast city of Malindi
and two people were injured in Mombasa.
Boats and other properties in Lamu, Malindi and Mombasa were destroyed.
Kenyan authorities received an alert on Sunday evening and ordered
the evacuation of 10,000 people from beaches and hotels along the
coast. Flights and holidays are now continuing as normal. Ten people
drowned in Tanzania and more than 1,000 people were made homeless
in Madagascar.
Seychelles
The after-effects of the tidal wave
caused some damage, mainly in the fishing villages. All inter-island
and international flights were operating as normal. No British nationals
have been reported missing and tourist destinations remain largely
unaffected, except for Praslin, where two hotels (the Paradise Sun
and La Reserve) have been closed for repairs.
Burma
The military junta in charge of Burma
confirmed about 30 deaths, but is notoriously reluctant to release
data about casualties following disasters. Most casualties were in
the Irrawaddy Delta, where 17 villages were hit and 200 people left
homeless. The tsunami did not appear to have affected tourist destinations,
with the possible exception of the Mergui archipelago.
Further information
Emergency numbers: The Foreign Office
Emergency Helpline number is 020 7008 0000; the British Embassy emergency
office in Phuket is 0066 76 264 473/4/5; in Colombo 0094 112437336;
in Bangkok 0066 2 305 8333. The Thailand Ministry for Foreign Affairs
has set up an emergency number (0066 2 643 5262/5000/5002/5003). A
dedicated phone line has been set up for friends and relatives of
Kuoni guests: 01306 747012; and for MyTravel: 01706 909050.
Insurance
The tsunami was a natural disaster
and is classified for insurance purposes as an "act of God",
something for which insurers are not liable. However, individual tour
firms may choose to offer compensation as an act of goodwill to their
customers. Check your policy with your insurer to find out more.
Those due to travel to areas near, but not affected by, the earthquake
should not expect compensation if they decide not to travel. Travel
insurance does not usually cover "disinclination to travel"
and many policies have exclusions for cancellations in circumstances
of this kind.
Independent travellers
While holidaymakers who bought packages
to affected areas from tour operators that are members of Abta will
receive a refund or alternative trip in the event of not being able
to proceed with the holiday, the position is different for independent
travellers. Those who booked their own flights and hotels are not
entitled to any money back if they cannot take their holiday. However,
some airlines, such as Sri Lanka Airways, are offering refunds to
passengers.
Some small independent operators who are not members of Abta, such
as Red Dot Tours, which specialises in trips to Sri Lanka, are attempting
to recover money for holidaymakers where possible, but cannot offer
any guarantees, particularly as some properties they feature have
been severely damaged or destroyed.
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