A TRAVEL agency is appealing to holidaymakers not to abandon plans to visit unaffected resorts in countries hit by the tsunami disaster.

Travelcare, which has offices in the North-East, said many customers were changing plans and opting for alternative long-haul destinations.

Regional manager Ian Le Fevre urged people not to turn their back on the area as they are a vital source of income as affected countries begin the process of rebuilding.

He said that despite the devastation to many resorts and the tragic loss of lives, resorts such as Cha Am, Hua Hin and Koh Samui, in Thailand, and resorts within The Maldives were unaffected.

"You cannot fail to be moved by the speed with which money is being raised to support victims of the tsunami," he said.

"However, all the efforts of fundraisers to help support these countries will be undermined if holidaymakers stay away from unaffected resorts. Charity donations are not enough, in the long term, to replace the potential lost income from UK tourists.

"If holidaymakers abandon these resorts completely, the impact for these countries could be serious."

Mr Le Fevre said: "We are seeing an increase in the proportion of people selecting western long-haul locations.

"If this trend continues this month and February, it will have serious implications for the economies of countries already facing an already tough task recovering from this disaster."