Phuket Slumped in Low Season with Tsunami Hangover

Reuters
The flow of tourists to one of Asia's premier tourism destinations has dried up, a potential blow to Thailand's economy which is already battling the effects of bird flu and Muslim violence in the south. (May 5, 2005)

East Asia Growth to Slow to Six Percent

CNN.com
East Asia's economies, excluding Japan, are expected to ease their expansion to about 6 percent in 2005. The tsunami tragedy was not expected to have a significant impact on growth in the two most seriously affected economies, Indonesia and Thailand. (April 27, 2005)

Second Hit for Surfers' Paradise

CNN.com
NIAS ISLAND, Indonesia--The Indonesian island of Nias, where hundreds of people were killed in Monday's quake, is a popular destination with foreign and local surfers. (March 29, 2005)

After Tsunami, Fears of a Piracy Resurgence

Reuters
A string of bold attacks by armed bandits in the Malacca Strait is stoking fears of a new wave of sea piracy in one of the world's busiest waterways, fueled by desperation in tsunami-ravaged northern Indonesia. (March 25, 2005)

Sri Lanka's Tourism Beset by Problems

BBC News
Many hotel owners in Sri Lanka, already badly hit by tsunami damage and rebuilding costs, have been forced to reduce prices by 30 percent to 40 percent. (March 23, 2005)

QBE Posts Massive Profit Increase

Reuters
QBE Insurance Group, the biggest participant in the Lloyd's of London market, posted a 43 percent rise in annual profit on acquisitions, but its shares fell on worries over lower premiums and slower growth in 2005. Net claims for the tsunami were $80 million. (February 23, 2005)

Tsunami Rebuilding Bill Outgrows World's Gifts

The Guardian
The total cost of reconstructing areas devastated by the Asian tsunami could be as high as $12.5 billion, according to the first overall assessment by the U.N. The estimate comes as charities around the world start closing their appeals because they believe enough has been raised. (February 17, 2005)

Survey: Tsunami Fails to Deter Tourists

BBC News
The devastating tsunami that wiped out cities, seaside communities and holiday resorts in southern Asia has not put holidaymakers off visiting the region, a survey has found. (January 25, 2005)

Tsunami Slows Sri Lanka's Growth

BBC News
Sri Lanka's president has launched a reconstruction drive worth $3.5 billion by appealing for peace and national unity. The wave left an estimated physical damage equal to 6.5 percent of the economy. (January 19, 2005)

Fisheries 'Devastated' by Tsunami

BBC News
Fisheries in many countries affected by last month's Asian tsunami have been devastated, according to a United Nations assessment. Some countries have lost about three-quarters of their fishing boats. (January 13, 2005)

Trade Friction Looms as U.S. Weighs Export Relief for Asia (Harvard only)

The Wall Street Journal
Sri Lankan textile executives are calling on their government to press for reduced tariffs on exports to the U.S. and Europe, and the Thai prime minister wants lower tariffs for shrimp exports. (January 13, 2005)

Optimism for SET as Thailand Rebuilds

International Herald Tribune
Thailand's efforts to rebuild after the tsunami waves that struck the southern coast two weeks ago may spur a rebound in its stock market, one of the world's worst performers in 2004. (January 11, 2005)

Insurance Industry Faces Losses of 'up to $10bn' (HBS only)

FT.com
The total loss to the global insurance industry from Asia's tsunami disaster could be between $5 billion and $10 billion, according to the industry's latest estimates. (January 5, 2005)

Killer Waves Will Have Less Impact on Asian Economies Than Sars; Asia's Attraction as an Investment Destination Unlikely to Be Reduced (HBS only)

The Business Times Singapore
It may have produced one of the world's darkest moments but the tsunami that roared onto the shores of South and Southeast Asia on Boxing Day, killing over 150,000 people, did relatively less harm than Sars to the Asian economies, according to economists at a business forum. (January 4, 2005)

Most Asian Economies Escape Waves' Wrath—Growth to Slow Slightly, but Major Business Centers Face Only Limited Damage (HBS only)

The Asian Wall Street Journal
The long-term economic impact of the Asian tsunami is likely to be surprisingly small for a disaster so big, but economists warn that the outlook could change if governments and international aid organizations don't act more quickly to arrest outbreaks of disease and potential social unrest. (January 4, 2005)

After the Waves, Maldivian Split Comes into Focus—Tourism Operations Stage a Post-Tsunami Recovery, While Other Areas Struggle (Harvard only)

The Wall Street Journal
MALE, Maldives—While many remote fishing communities on this country of 1,190 small coral atolls were decimated in last week's tsunami, tourists are once again heading to its exclusive resorts. Overall, the economic impact of the disaster here appears less than initially feared—exposing deep inequalities in the way the Maldives' tourist-driven economy has evolved. (January 3, 2005)

Tsunami to Test Resilience of Sri Lankan Economy (HBS only)

FT.com
The strength of the Sri Lankan economy is evident following the catastrophic tsunami that has claimed nearly 30,000 lives, with the central bank estimating that Sri Lanka's gross domestic product could still grow at a rate of 5.5 percent this year, just 0.5 percentage points slower than initially forecast. (January 3, 2005)

Disaster Likely to Bring Some Industries Long-Term Benefits (HBS only)

FT.com
Only a few industries in the Asia-Pacific region, including tourism, are expected to suffer short-term adverse effects, while others, such as construction, could actually enjoy longer-term benefits, analysts say. "The economic impact was bigger during the Sars crisis last year even though the death rate was much, much lower. This will be the reverse," said Rajiv Malik, regional economist with JP Morgan in Singapore. (December 30, 2004)