Tourist demand boosts airlines to expand routes in Southeast Asia

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) predicts a full recovery of the airline industry in the fourth quarter of next year, with pre-Covid levels expected to return by 2025.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to capitalize on the rising trend, targeting the "CIA" market, which includes China, India, and ASEAN countries. Their ambitious goal is to attract 25 million tourists this year and 35 million next year.

To cater to this growing demand, Thai Lion Air is set to resume six daily flights from Bangkok to various Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Additionally, they will restart flights to Tokyo from Bangkok. These moves are scheduled to commence in mid-August.

EVA Airways is also joining in on the action, intending to promote Thailand as a top tourist destination through its extensive flight network covering Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia. The airline offers a significant number of direct flights to Bangkok, Taipei, China, Japan, and Seoul.

In response to the preferences of Indian travelers for flying with Indian airlines, the TAT is closely monitoring the Indian market.

They observed a decline in the number of business travelers in the region. However, a new Indian airline called Akasa Air is expected to begin operations by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Nok Air is preparing to resume flights to Singapore, and Air Asia is planning flights from Bangkok to Cebu, Philippines, to cater to Filipino travelers.

MYAirline from Malaysia is also considering offering international flights to Bangkok’s airports, as well as services to other popular Thai destinations like Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Samui.