The issue was raised at the association’s annual general meeting on Friday (Mar 13), chaired by deputy governor Bancha Thanuin and attended by the state and private sectors, reports the Bangkok Post.
Participants reviewed the conflict’s potential impact on tourism and discussed broader challenges facing the sector, including marketing strategies and stronger cooperation among member hotels.
The meeting heard that fighting has disrupted air travel across Middle Eastern airspace, affecting routes commonly used by long-haul flights from Europe to southern Thailand.
Airlines have been forced to reroute flights to avoid the conflict zone, raising operating costs and pushing ticket prices up by more than 20%.
Hotel operators in Phangnga said they are struggling to retain European guests, with postponements and cancellations exceeding 20% compared with the same period last year.
The economic loss to the province is put at nearly B1.7 billion.
Sompong Daopiset, president of the association, said the province is among the hardest-hit destinations on the Andaman coast because its tourism market relies heavily on European visitors, unlike other provinces that attract a broader mix, including tourists from Asia.
Phang Nga is particularly vulnerable because most long-haul flights from Europe traditionally pass through the Middle East to minimise fuel costs.
“More than 90% of our visitors are Europeans. When airlines suddenly cancelled flights, many travellers who had already purchased tickets were unable to continue their journeys,” he said.
The number of affected travellers could rise if the conflict persists, he said.
The association urged the Tourism Authority of Thailand to intensify social media campaigns to attract new visitor segments and domestic travellers, with Khao Lak identified as a priority destination to support the local economy and help get businesses back on their feet.
Proposals also included co-payment tourism schemes and temporary adjustments to unused airport slots to allow additional short-haul services during the green season.