Flights from China to Thailand almost full amid visa waivers, Thai Airways says
- The airline says it’s seen ‘significant growth in terms of Chinese traffic’ since visa rules for visitors from China were temporarily relaxed
- Tourism-dependent Thailand is banking on Chinese visitors to lead a spending recovery as it tweaks policies and adds new airport infrastructure
“We have seen significant growth in terms of Chinese traffic into Thailand,” the carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer Korakot Chatasingha said in an interview on Monday.
Thailand is banking on Chinese visitors to lead a spending recovery as policy tweaks and new airport infrastructure bolster the tourism-dependent nation. Bangkok’s busiest airport just last week opened a new terminal.
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Thailand rolls out red carpet for Chinese tourists on visa-free scheme
Thai Airways, which is going through a debt restructuring after Covid, said last month it plans to increase its flights to five Chinese cities to 56 a week, up from 49, starting from December 1.
While Korakot said he remains confident in the long-term recovery of Thailand’s largest source of foreign tourists, the airline is weighing whether to further increase China flights to pre-Covid levels.
“We are trying to anticipate if the number is growing strongly, we believe we can go back to the levels in 2019,” Korakot said.