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Coronavirus hits Thailand tourism as Chinese visitors desert Phuket
- Travel bans and local fears about coronavirus have emptied the streets of the beach resort
- Reduced travel from China alone could result in US$1.52 billion of lost tourism revenue
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The narrow laneways and pastel-coloured shophouses of Phuket Old Town are usually bustling with Chinese tourists during the Lunar New Year holiday, but travel bans and local fears about coronavirus have largely emptied the streets this year.
Just a handful of tourists, many wearing face masks, strolled through the area during daylight hours this week. In the evening, foot traffic increased a little under the glow of the red lanterns strung across the thoroughfare, but remained far below normal levels.
“The impact is tremendous,” 45-year old Ausana Akaradachakul said as she waited behind the counter for shoppers in her store selling postcards, straw bags, clothing and jewellery.
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“Only a few days after the news broke about the virus, the Chinese tourists were visibly few,” Akaradachakul said. “I think about 70% of them are gone.”
The beach resort of Phuket is Thailand’s second most visited destination after Bangkok and is usually a big draw for visitors from China, who accounted for 11 million visitors last year, particularly around the Lunar New Year holiday.
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But China this week imposed restrictions on all overseas tour groups because of the coronavirus that originated in the city of Wuhan and which has infected more than 11,000 people and killed more than 250.
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