TAT, airlines aim to boost domestic travel - Bangkok Post
Low-cost carriers are turning to domestic markets amid uncertainty over international travel. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill) Airlines and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) have mitigated risks stemming from uncertainty in international markets by ramping up domestic tourism during the high season, increasing flight frequencies and offering heavy promotional discounts on 99,000 seats to stimulate sluggish spending.
According to Kasikorn Research Center, although the number of inbound flights to Thailand rose by 5.8% in the final quarter, the growth rate remains lower than in neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, at 15%, and Vietnam, at 13.6%.
Last week, the TAT and seven airlines in Thailand jointly launched a promotion offering 99,000 domestic flight bookings a discount of 500 baht each. Thai AirAsia and Thai Lion Air reported that their quotas of 16,000 seats each had been fully booked within the first few days of the launch, while total bookings had already reached 47%, according to the agency.
TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the project aims to help alleviate travel expenses for Thai tourists, whose purchasing power has been hampered by several setbacks, particularly the recent floods.
The rapid redemption of domestic flight promotions shows that local tourists remain keen to travel when attractive incentives are available to encourage trip planning, she noted.
The campaign is expected to generate at least 300 million baht in domestic tourism revenue and stimulate local consumption, said Ms Thapanee.
The scheme complements another initiative involving tour operators from nine tourism associations, which aims to generate 209 million baht in revenue by offering incentives of 10,000 baht per day for a tour bus carrying 30 passengers and 2,500 baht per day for a van carrying six passengers.
Meanwhile, low-cost airlines have yet to resume suspended international routes and remain reluctant to launch new ones. Thai Lion Air postponed the resumption of flights to Seoul following Thai AirAsia's permanent suspension of the same route.
Tansita Akrarittipirom, head of commercial at Thai AirAsia, said the airline aims to maintain its leading 40% share of the domestic market in the fourth quarter and has already increased domestic flight frequencies to 135 flights per day this quarter, up by more than 50% from the third-quarter average of 88 daily flights.
She said the airline is banking on the advantage of operating from both Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports to boost passenger numbers, while the ongoing promotion offering a 500-baht discount on domestic flight bookings has stimulated the market during the high season.
Earlier this month, Thai AirAsia resumed flights from Suvarnabhumi airport to Chiang Mai, Krabi and Phuket, with load factors exceeding 82%, after suspending these services during the fuel price surge to curb operating costs.
To meet demand for the Udon Thani World Horticultural Expo 2026, the airline is increasing flights from Don Mueang to Udon Thani to up to six daily services while operating four weekly flights each from Chiang Mai and Phuket.
For international markets in the fourth quarter, Ms Tansita said the airline continues to offer direct flights to 46 cities across 53 destinations throughout Asia.
In the key Indian market, the airline is resuming six previously suspended routes this quarter, while its Phuket hub is restarting direct flights to Siem Reap, alongside the reinstatement of the Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur route.
