New quake fails to hit bookings

Operators are remaining upbeat about the Indian Ocean despite a second earthquake in just three months and the threat of a third.

They admitted the most recent earthquake, which struck on Monday off the northwest coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, could dent business in the short term.

Tourism in the area is still recovering from the impact of the tsunami, which struck some of the region’s top tourist destinations on Boxing Day.

Kuoni said it hadn’t received any cancellations for the area following the quake. A spokeswoman said: "We expect it to be affected in the short term but it will be back to normal in a few months. The recovery from the tsunami was going the right way but it’s too early to say at this stage what the effect has been on sales.”

Somak general manager Far East Rob Haynes said he had not even had an enquiry about cancelling a booking to the region.

Although the most recent earthquake was just 100 miles from the previous one and nearly as powerful, it didn’t create a tidal wave. However, up to 2,000 are feared dead, though surfers’ paradise Nias was the only tourist destination affected. Experts fear a third earthquake is a possibility.