The marine tourism business is already heavily impacted by rising fuel prices, Nikorn Marine CEO Virintra Papakityotsaphat said yesterday (Mar 10).
“Petrol prices have risen sharply, but we are unable to raise service prices. If we adjust our prices, there will be no tourists to use our services at all,” Ms Virintra explained.
“Our business mainly relies on boats, and we have been hit hard by the rise in world oil prices," she said.
Ms Virintra explained fuel for the boats previously cost about B20 per litre.
“But now the price has doubled, causing the cost of business to rise ‒ and this is while the marine tourism industry is still suffering,” Ms Virintra said.
The impact of COVID-19 had also severely impacted the industry, with tourists having less money to spend, she added.
Ms Virintra urged the government to slow down the rise in fuel prices or at least help business operators in any way.
“Please prevent further rises in the price of fuel from getting any higher so that marine operators who are directly affected can continue to operate," she said.
Bigaresort | 12 March 2022 - 13:50:45