A woman shelters herself from the sun with a fan as she walks by a fountain during a heatwave in Sofia, Bulgaria on Monday. Hotel operators say European tourists may opt for destinations closer to home rather than Thailand this summer because of persistently high airfares. AFP
Europe's most severe heatwave has yet to trigger a surge in tourists to Thailand, with Phuket hotels slashing low-season rates by 70-80% compared with the high season as surging airfares continue to deter both domestic and foreign visitors.The continent has experienced record temperatures since June 20, while France's national weather service forecast a possible recurrence of a heatwave in July. Over the weekend, high temperatures scorched the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, with the countries recording new records of 41.9°C, 41.7°C and 40.5°C, respectively.
Somjai Tungkoo, vice-president of the southern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, said summer holidays typically attract large numbers of European tourists, but demand this year has been weaker than expected as many travellers seek to escape the heat by visiting cooler destinations within their region rather than taking long-haul trips.
She said travellers remain concerned about high airfares and are reluctant to spend as much as usual amid economic uncertainty.
