Students trying to plan vacations or contribute to tsunami relief efforts in southeast Asia should be aware that some places are still suitable for vacations and should plan their activities accordingly.

Marguerite Gustkey, manager of travel service at Penn State Travel Services, 104 Procurement Services Building, said they handle business travel, which sometimes includes travel to the countries affected by the tsunami.

"We direct any inquiries regarding safety of the flights to the State Department Web page for any advisories that may be posted," Gustkey said.

Gustkey added that they do not handle tourists who want to vacation, just business travelers.

Margi Erway, branch manager for STA travel, 104 HUB, said the office does not have much demand for students wanting to go to southeast Asia.

"Mostly students are interested in Europe and Australia," Erway said. "However, we are taking donations from students who have booked trips to go to NetAid."

NetAid is a group that fights poverty and is working on tsunami relief efforts.

Duarte Morais, professor of recreation and park management and leisure studies, also specializes in international tourism, said some travel agencies unknowingly direct people away from areas such as Thailand and Sri Lanka thinking that whole countries are affected, when in some cases it is only the coastal areas.

He added that western tourism would potentially be impacted during the months of April to July due to recovery.

Travel to the south Pacific area by surrounding residents who celebrate the Chinese New Year, will also be impacted.

Morais said there are three different types of tourists, starting with the "sun, sand and sea" tourists, who usually buy their vacations as part of a big package.

"Tourism here can be negatively impacted, and this is partially due to public relations problems, unknowledgeable tourists and the local travel agencies," Morais said. "They are not that well informed."

Another type of tourists, Morais said, are western adventure seekers.

"These people want to help out with the relief efforts, and want to see things," Morais said. "These people are more educated."

The third type of tourists are tourists who go to places where something horrible and devastating has occurred, Morais said.

"They go to places like Ground Zero where memorials, pictures and other information reflects back on the tragedies and who was killed," Morais said.

Sandy Berardis, travel specialist with Centre for Travel, 114 Hiester St., said the tsunami has not had much of an impact on local travel to the region.

"At this point in time, travel hasn't had that much of an effect," Berardis said.

Morais also said the media is responsible for some misconceptions.

"The same thing happened during Colorado when they had the wildfires and in Florida with the hurricanes," Morais said.

"Sometimes people have the mistaken perception that the whole state is affected, like thinking the whole state of Colorado is on fire," Morais added.

Morais said the southeast Asia countries that depend on tourism financially would be the hardest hit by the disaster.

Everything should be back to normal by next year according to Morais, but he added the area will probably continue to draw people who want to learn more about event.