Tourism / TAT

Tourism
Report: Chatrudee Theparat

More expensive air ticket of long-haul markets as a factor to reconsider trip

An increase in airfare of long-haul flights from Europe, the US and the Middle East is one of the key factors among travelers to reconsider their trip to Thailand.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy governor Siripakorn Cheawsamoot said currently the air ticket price of long-haul flights has doubled and its price has not returned to normal as the pre-Covid-19 period. Although some travelers are willing for the purchase, they could not get them.

Direct flight from Scandinavia to Bangkok costs 120,000- 130,000 baht, up from 30,000-45,000 baht before pandemic period. The UK-Bangkok flight is 35,000-50,000 baht, up from 25,000-30,000 baht and the flight from France to Bangkok is 40,000-50,000 baht, up from 30,000-40,000 baht. While the flight from Russia to Bangkok, there is no direct flight because the price has skyrocketed to 100,000-200,000 baht from 25,000-30,000 baht and the flight from Middle East to Bangkok is 25,000-30,000 baht, up from 15,000-20,000 baht.

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)governor Siripakorn Cheawsamoot

Mr Siripakorn said another reason is the World Cup, held in this November in Qatar, as a factor. Airlines could not increase the number of long-haul flights because they may launch charter flights for football fans to Qatar.
“TAT is in the process of negotiating with airlines to launch its flight as normal or providing charter flights to serve the current markets they have operated.”

Beyond flight problem, he said TAT is taking a closer look at countries over how much they may get affected at the time when there are signs of a global recession. Among the solutions is the agency plans to draw four wealthy groups from those countries to apply for 10 years long-term resident (LTR) visa, thanks to affordable expenditure in Thailand, attractive tourism place and strong tourism infrastructure.

In a bid to boost confidence with tour operators, the agency is confident that the country’s foreign tourism revenue from European market would reach 300 billion baht this year, which accounts for 30% of the total and the remaining 70% from Asian markets. Total tourism revenue from foreign tourists is estimated to reach one trillion baht and 500 billion baht from domestic tourists.