By Karen LeaKahnTravel agents in Thailand are scrambling to keep their clients happy after the operator of a popular tourist destination in southern Thailand abruptly canceled plans to open a new hotel in the city.
The move came on Monday when Omaha Travel announced it would shutter its hotels, hotels and other businesses in the tourist hotspot of Palcayo Mountain.
In a letter sent to customers, the company said the decision was made after the “general environment of tourism in Thailand changed dramatically” after the coronavirus pandemic swept through Thailand in March.
The company said it is currently “actively investigating” who is responsible for the shutdown.
But some in the industry have questioned whether Omaha was being too proactive in preventing the closure of hotels and businesses in Palcays mountainous resort town, or whether the move will have a negative effect on tourism.
Omaha declined to comment on its situation, saying it would provide more information in the coming days.
Palcoyou Mountain has been Thailand’s top destination for many years, and its tourism revenue was worth $8 billion last year, according to the Tourism and Travel Authority of Thailand.
But the city is also home to one of the worst air pollution and the country’s highest levels of cases of the virus.
