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Luzi Matzig in TravelAsia
TravelAsia, February 16, 1996
THE GRAND LIJIANG HOTEL HAS HAD TO CLOSE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES
EVEN IT HAS NOT SUFFERED ANY DAMAGE. THE HOTEL HAS HAD TO CANCEL
RESERVATIONS FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR SEASON. - PORNSAWAN, PRESIDENT,
M GRAND HOTELS
By Faridah Hamid
Travel agents say the earthquake that hit Lijiang
on February 3 has not led to cancellations in travel to the Chinese
province of Yunnan, only changes in itineraries.
The catastrophe has had minimum impact on the Chinese New Year
increased flight schedules of China Yunnan Airlines.
For the period February 16 to 27, the airline will operate a total
of 30 Bangkok-Kunming-Bangkok flights. The airline's normal flight
routine from Bangkok is one flight daily. For this special occasion,
flights can go up to as high as nine per day.
Songsri Thichakornsaku, reservations and ticketing manager of
the airline, said that most of these flights were already fully
booked. Enquiries show that about three small groups changed their
routing. Instead of the original
Kunming-Lijiang route, diversions to Dali, Quijuilin, Chengdu
or Quejang were requested. Some groups are even keeping their
options to travel to Lijiang open, although they have been advised,
for safety reasons, to avoid travelling there.
The Lijiang airport has not been affected at all by the earthquake
and remains open. The airline has also not stopped carrying domestic
passengers to the airport, Songsri reported.
Pornsawan Leetavorn, president of M Grand Hotels, however said
that only government officials, relief effort and aid workers
are allowed to travel into Lijiang at present.
Tourists and the hotel's staff from overseas are restricted from
visiting the old town, which has been quite badly damaged.
The Grand Lijiang Hotel has had to close for safety purposes even
if it has not suffered any damage.
The hotel has had to cancel reservations for the Chinese New Year
season and has asked travel agents to direct customers to other
destinations in the province from Kunming.
The hotel was expecting 100 per cent occupancy for Chinese New
Year and the ensuing period due to the approaching school holidays
in Thailand.
Its staff in Bangkok are keeping a vigil so that they can alert
agents as soon as things return to normal.
Piti Sukakul, chairman of President Tours, is confident that the
disaster will not impede Thai tourists from travelling to Kunming,
the major destination for the Thai market, or to other parts of
Yunnan.
Luzi Matzig, general manager of Diethelm Travel, shares the same
opinion. "Because of the relief effort, it's not possible
to visit Lijiang, but tourism to all other places in the province
will be normal," he said.
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