Thailand’s short-haul bookings dip, long-haul travel remains strong
Regional bookings plunged 22%, Southeast Asia bookings dropped 16% overall
Airlines reported that forward bookings for short-haul markets for the remainder of the year are weak, contrasting with the long-haul segment, while some carriers have shown interest in the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) stimulus campaign.
Deputy Governor of International Marketing for Asia and South Pacific at TAT, Pattaraanong Na Chiangmai, said that tourism in the second half of the year faces several challenges. According to air traffic data company Forwardkeys, forward bookings for short-haul flights from June to December have decreased year-on-year.
Asia and South Pacific bookings have fallen by 22% to 849,034 seats, while Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Oceania have decreased by 16% to 303,325 seats. The East Asia market has contracted by 25% to 528,480 seats, including a 40% drop in Chinese routes to 109,676 seats.
In the first six months, Thailand welcomed 16.6 million foreign tourists, with 11.1 million being short-haul visitors, significantly below the target of 28.2 million in 2025.
ดูโพสต์นี้บน Instagram
However, long-haul markets have shown strong momentum, with 5.5 million arrivals in the first half, said Chiravadee Khunsub, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas at TAT. She added that Thailand is on track to secure 10.7 million long-haul tourists as projected this year.
Forward bookings from long-haul markets in the third quarter have tallied 713,491 seats, increasing from 677,211 seats in the same period last year. Passengers from Europe, the Americas, and Africa are expected to increase year-on-year, though passengers from the Middle East will decrease by 9% to 97,246 seats due to tensions between Iran and Israel.
Pattaraanong indicated that TAT will soon launch a 750-million-baht subsidy for airlines and tour operators titled Summer Blast China & Overseas Market, aiming to attract over 790,000 visitors in one year, reported Bangkok Post.
Thai Lion Air Commercial Head Nuntaporn Komonsittivate expressed the airline’s interest in participating in the joint-promotion programme for commercial flights. She said that there is potential to increase foreign passengers on existing flights to boost tourism, whether from Indonesia, India, or China, as Thailand has experienced a significant decline since the beginning of the year. Currently, Thai Lion Air’s Chinese flights have secured about a 60-70% load factor.
Lufthansa Group General Manager for Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, and the Mekong Region at Lufthansa Group, Anlee Do, said that the airline may need to study the TAT’s proposal before deciding to join.
Presently, the group is committed to daily operations across its three airlines—Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian Airlines—to Thailand this summer. The group plans to increase its flights in winter to cater to travel demand during the high season for European tourists.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
