Two decades after tsunami, Swiss tourists flock to Southeast Asia

Twenty years ago, a catastrophic tsunami in Southeast Asia led to a big downturn in Swiss tourists heading to the region. Today, countries like Thailand are again among top destinations, including at Christmas. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox “After 2004, tourism in Thailand initially saw a marked downturn. In the 2005-2006 Christmas season, demand was significantly lower than in previous years,” Muriel Wolf Landau from the Swiss travel agency Hotelplan told the Keystone-ATS news agency. In the following years, demand for holidays in Thailand rose again. With tourism a mainstay of the Thai economy, the return of international guests was of great importance not only for the regions concerned, but for the country as a whole. “Today, Thailand is one of the top five destinations for beach and city holidays during the festive season,” Wolf Landau said. When it comes to individual travellers, Thailand is even in first place. + Read more: follow a Swiss family ...