Pattaya tour boats face months without bookings

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PATTAYA: Many tour boats based in this resort city will be moored for at least the next three months, based on the number of cancellations by Chinese tour group agents, according to a large tour operator.

The Chinese government’s suspension of outbound Chinese tours to contain the coronavirus had  been a direct hit for boat operators, who mainly serve Chinese tour groups, Nathapong Manasom, chairman of NPE Tour Co, said on Tuesday.

“Chinese tour agencies were closed for a month from Jan 29 to wait and see how the situation developed… As a result, boat operators have to halt services for three months, based on the agencies’ tour programmes,” he said.

“Since the closure of Chinese outbound tours, there has not been a single customer.”

Mr Nathapong laid off some employees, and had other staff work for only 10-15 days a month and cut their wages accordingly. Remaining staff were tasked with boat maintenance, he said.

He said his company could retain the partial employees for the next three months, but if the situation continued it would have to lay off all employees.

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1850369/pattaya-tour-boats-face-months-without-bookings#cxrecs_s