Thailand fears falling demand due to threats to flights in Europe — Bangkok Post
Thailand fears that bomb threats targeting passenger flights in Europe will further weaken demand for long-haul travel during the peak tourist season. As Bangkok Post reports, bomb threats affected nearly 30 flights in Europe on Thursday, but all aircraft landed safely.
Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Surasak Phancharoenworakul, said the incidents could affect the European market, where demand has already weakened due to higher fuel and air ticket prices. The ministry has instructed the Tourism Authority of Thailand to strengthen marketing support for airlines within the existing annual budget. If additional funds are needed, the agency plans to later ask the cabinet for financing from the central budget.
Decline in European demand
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Chonburi Tourism Federation, said the European market has declined by 20–30% year-on-year during the current peak season. He cited high air travel prices and declining confidence in transit routes through Middle Eastern aviation hubs, which usually offer lower fares than direct flights, among the reasons.
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According to him, new bomb threats could further affect travelers who are only planning bookings. At the same time, passengers who have already bought tickets are unlikely to cancel their trips, as it will be difficult to find new tickets at the same price during the peak season.
Measures for the markets of China and the aggressor state Russia
The Association of Thai Travel Agents urged authorities to stimulate 300 flights from China and the aggressor state Russia, expecting to attract 45,000 tourists and generate 2.25 billion baht in revenue. At the same time, tourism industry representatives are concerned about a slowdown in the Chinese flow following a travel warning issued by the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.
After the October Golden Week holiday, the average number of arrivals from China, according to the industry, fell from around 10,000 to 7,000 people per day. Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul also reported an agreement with the Chinese Embassy and tourist police to create a joint working group for exchanging information on illegal businesses linked to the use of Thailand as a transit point for scams targeting Chinese citizens in Myanmar.
