Total international arrivals in Phuket were down 42 percent year-on-year for the first half of the year, and 46.9 percent year-on-year in the Maldives, the study by Visa International Asia Pacific and the Pacific Asia Travel Association said.

The Maldives reported 191 353 international arrivals between January and July, a fall that "sets the country back to 1996 levels," the report said.

"Airline capacity is still an issue, with weekly scheduled seat capacity to and from Male down by more than 19 percent year-on-year as at August."

Association president and chief executive Peter de Jong said it was understandable that some travellers may have concerns about travelling to destinations where many lives were lost.

"But we cannot help these communities get back on their feet by staying away," he said in a statement.

"The best thing we can do now is continue to inform tourists that it is appropriate and supportive to visit, and that they will have a great holiday experience."

Total international visitor arrivals in the first half of 2005 for six countries ? India, Thailand, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia ? declined in only the Maldives and Indonesia, the report said.

Arrivals to Indonesia shrank 3.9 percent year-on-year, grew 1.4 percent in Thailand, rose 4.9 percent in Malaysia and jumped 13 percent in Sri Lanka and 16.8 percent in India.

International inbound spending in Phuket was down by almost 30 percent year-on-year in the four weeks ending July 17, but was growing steadily in the rest of Thailand, the report said.

More than 217 000 people around the Indian Ocean were killed in the December 26 tsunami.