In a distressing turn of events, six tourists have lost their lives in Laos due to suspected methanol poisoning, sending shockwaves through the travel community. The experienced Danish travel agency, Jysk Rejsebureau, expressed their astonishment at the news., They have never encountered such an issue in their years of arranging trips to the Southeast Asian destination.
The Danish travel agency are shocked as they never experienced methanol poisoning before.
Niels Amstrup, the press officer for Jysk Rejsebureau, described the situation as a “methanol scandal.” “No, we can clearly say we were unaware of this phenomenon. We have never heard of it before,” he told B.T.
The tragic news broke last Tuesday, revealing that two young Danish women in their twenties died while visiting Laos. Authorities suspect that their deaths resulted from consuming alcohol contaminated with methanol. In total, six tourists who had traveled to the popular party area of Vang Vieng in Laos have died under similar circumstances.
In response to this alarming situation, Jysk Rejsebureau acted quickly. They informed travelers either en route to or already in the area to remain vigilant. “Those traveling with Jysk Rejsebureau received immediate notifications about this phenomenon,” Amstrup added.
According to Amstrup, no travelers have altered or changed their itineraries in light of the shocking news. The agency is also following the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “If you’re aware of the issue, it’s easy to be cautious. You can refrain from drinking alcohol and monitor the developing situation,” he advised.
Precaution and warnings
He emphasized that it is essential for travelers to take precautions until local authorities manage to contain the problem.
The parents of one of the Danish girls also warned young people about traveling to Vang Vieng. They are not the only ones, as a Belgian friend of the to danish girls made his own statement and survey to share with medias and embassies to warn people against traveling to Vang Vieng.
As for the future impact of this scandal on travel interest in Laos and surrounding Southeast Asian countries, Amstrup says it is too early to tell. “Laos is a micro-destination for us Danes. In my professional opinion, without data to support it, I think only 1,000 to 2,000 Danes travel to Laos each year,” he noted. That’s a small amount comparing it to around 400,000 travelers heading to Spain and 150,000 to the USA annually.
“Primarily, young individuals on gap year trips choose to visit Laos and its neighboring countries,” he added.
Read more: Breaking: ScandAsia confirms identities of Danish victims in Laos methanol case
Source: B.T.
