Sky-high tourism boom: Thai-Chinese flights to double

Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co Ltd (Aerothai) announced a dramatic increase in flights between Thailand and China. The number of annual flights is expected to double from under 100,000 to a staggering 200,000, thanks to a new mutual permanent visa waiver policy.

The policy, which began in March, allows Chinese and Thai passport holders to enjoy visa-free holidays and transits for up to 30 days. Aerothai president Nopasit Chakpitak revealed that four major routes: Macao-Hong Kong, Hainan-eastern China, Laos-Vietnam-China, and Yunnan-western China are responsible for 60% of all flights to China and currently constitute 20% of Thailand’s international flights.

Nopasit estimated that the total flights to China this year will reach around 86,150, marking a 126% year-on-year increase.

“As passenger airlines and the air logistics industry recover from the Covid-19 crisis, more operators are restoring routes to China and applying to open new ones to economically important destinations.”

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is particularly popular, with 5,896 flights from Thailand in the past eight months.

“We estimate flights to Chengdu will exceed 8,850 this year, a 265% year-on-year jump.”

To address congestion, Aerothai is discussing with authorities in China and Laos to open parallel aviation routes. This aims to ease the bottleneck on the current flight path set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in northwestern Laos, reported The Nation.

“These routes will accommodate more flights from Thailand to Chinese economic cities such as Chengdu, Tianfu, Kunming, Guiyang, Chongqing, and Xi’an. We expect them to open by 2026 to support up to 200,000 flights per year.”

In related news, the majority of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand in the second quarter of this year were lured by the country’s delectable cuisine and exotic fruits, according to the Tourism Council of Thailand. The Council’s report, published on July 4, surveyed 205 Chinese nationals. The participants included 44% from Mainland China, 24% from Hong Kong, 18% from Taiwan, and 14% from Singapore. It unveiled intriguing insights into their spending habits and preferences.