South East Asia´s Tourist Sector Reports Megabuck Losses

The seaquake that hit South East Asia in late December has caused thousands of millions of dollars to several countries in the region, Malaysia´s Tourism Minister Leo Michael Toyad was quoted as saying this week in the local press.

"Rendered in monetary terms, the impact of the killer tidal wave is simply unfathomable," Mr. Toyad said during the opening of a conference in Malaysia that gathered tourism ministers from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The December 26 tsunamis also swept away the shores of Thailand, especially a number of southern towns, as well as Indonesia. The coasts of Malaysia and Burma were hit to a lesser degree.

Indeed, all South East Asia was hit hard by severe flooding that prompted a barrage of travel cancellations in the whole region.

Mr. Toyad´s remarks were in reference to ASEAN´s ten member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Other premier travel destinations in the region, like Sri Lanka and the Maldives Islands, also paid a high price in both death count and damages.