Losses of revenue for the sector due to the drop in tourist arrivals, both international and
domestic, were estimated on the basis of actual statistics through June 2005 and projections
for the rest of the year and for 2006. Separate estimations were made for international and
domestic tourism as they have behaved differently; international tourists are recovering at a
slow pace, due to the uncertainty of available hotel facilities and remaining fear of the tsunami,
while Thailand tourists are arriving in the affected areas with higher recovery rates.
Available data for the six affected provinces show that recovery of international tourist arrivals
occurred at a relatively fast rate in the first quarter of 2005, and that recovery rates slowed
down in the second quarter (See figure 3-1, where data on international arrival of tourists at
Phuket International Airport are displayed). Domestic tourists arrivals, on the other hand, have
recovered at faster and sustained rates. On the basis of the observed recovery trends, it was
concluded that it would not be until the fourth quarter of 2006 when international tourism would
achieve pre-disaster levels. For the analysis, the schedule of recovery indicated in table 3-10
was adopted.