Negative media

Mumbai, Apr 26 (UNI) In a latest AC Nielsen conducted tourism report 'Asia Travel Intentions survey 2006' released by Visa International Asia Pacific and the Pacific Asia Travel Association(PATA), 58 per cent of the respondents have said that negative media reports would make them less likely to travel to Asia, however, 43 per cent of the respondents from ten key market of the world intending to travel have shown their willingness to travel to Asia.

According to a PATA release issued today, 80 per cent of respondents intending to travel to Asia have rated their liklihood to visit at 50 per cent.

''Travellers perceptions do not always reflect the reality of a situation and ignorance is costing the industry billion.'' said Visa Asia Pacific's Executive Vice President for Corporate relations, Paul Dowling.

However the report highlights certain bottlenecks which need to be overcome, the unease from tsunami has cast its shadow, travellers are concerned about their safety in Asia and one in five is misinformed about the terrorist locations. 58 per cent say that the potential for terorism makes them less likely to visit Asia and more than two third of the respondents said that they would be less likely to visit Asia if their government issued travel warnings.

The report further states, nearly 16 months after the December 2004 tsunami, a significant number of potential Asian travelers say that several destinations (including China, Hong Kong, Korea, Phillipines and Singapore markets unaffected by the tsunami) were somewhat affected by the incident.

Now bird flu has also emerged as a hurdle to travel in Asia.

Approximately one third of the respondents do not know which areas have been affected and more than one in five believe that areas with no reported cases have been affected. Without belittling the potential threat of bird flu,ignorance is proving to be an unnecessary inhibitor to travel.

''In 2005 International Visa cardholders travelling in Asia spent nearly USD 24 billion. This study shows that while Asia continues to show its resilence as a tourism market, money is being left on the table. Better consumer education would make a big difference in bringing billions of extra toruism dollars, particularly by the high spending travellers into Asia,'' Mr Dowling added.

UNI VS ADG SKB1837