Travellers can help accelerate the recovery in tsunami-affected destinations by taking a trip there, according to the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).

PATA President & CEO, Peter de Jong, said the devastation wrought by the Indian Ocean tsunami had touched the hearts of millions of people around the world, with unprecedented pledges of financial support for vital humanitarian relief efforts.

Thankfully, the rebuilding of physical infrastructure is now underway in many areas. In Phuket, for instance, recovery is well advanced.

�So now there is another simple way people can make a donation� by taking a holiday to one of the tsunami-affected destinations,� he said.

Mr de Jong said destinations such as Phuket, Sri Lanka and the Maldives relied heavily on money from both local and international travellers for their economic survival. �People in these areas know that even as they begin to rebuild their lives and their communities, full recovery will only be possible when travellers return to their shores,� he said.

Mr de Jong noted this was a sensitive issue. Time was needed to identify and mourn the passing of victims, and to heal the psychological wounds of those who lost family and friends.

However the best way to help these communities was to resume travel as soon as they were ready to welcome visitors.

�Their future depends on travellers coming back to visit, as soon as they are ready. And many of them are more than ready today,� he said.

�What's critical now is that global travellers have an accurate picture of the recovery process, so they can make informed decisions about visiting the affected regions.�

Mr de Jong urged travellers to visit PATA�s web site at www.PATA.org/tsunami to get the facts about the recovery process and to identify those areas that are ready to welcome tourists.

The site shows that of the eight destinations hit by the tsunami, only three � Sri Lanka, the Maldives and southern Thailand � suffered significant damage to tourism infrastructure.

In Thailand, much of the affected area, including Phuket, is ready to welcome visitors. Phi Phi Don Island and Khao Lak are the only areas where discretionary travel is not recommended.

In Sri Lanka, there are a number of hotels and resorts closed on the south and south-eastern coast, however many of the island�s tourist attractions, including the capital Colombo and the city of Kandy are unaffected.

In the Maldives, 60 of the islands� 80 resorts are operating normally and visitors will enjoy a beautiful holiday there.

For more information, contact Ken Scott at PATA on +662 658 2000 ext 107 or at communications@pata.org