Phuket Action Plan Focuses On Relaunching Tourism in the Tsunami Hit Nations

An emergency plan, intended to restart the economically-vital tourism industry in countries ravaged by the tsunamis of December 26, was adopted at a special session of the World Tourism Organization Executive Council on February 1 in Phuket, Thailand.

The main goal of the Phuket Action Plan, mapped out by experts from 42 countries, is to speed up recovery of the tourism sector in the affected destinations, by restoring traveler confidence in the region. The plan also aims to help destinations resume normal operations by maximizing the use of existing tourism infrastructure and by helping small tourism-related businesses and employees survive the recovery period.

Other goals include, putting systems in place that strengthen the

sustainability of the affected destinations and working with the United

Nations system on disaster reduction in the region.

We are focusing on the human element in tourism, saving tourism jobs, relaunching small tourism-related businesses, and recovering the visitor flow that makes these economies work, said the WTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli.