The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is seeking partnerships with at least 11 international airlines in a bid to bolster rising and mature markets in the second half of this year.

Illustrative image (Photo: https://www.bangkokpost.com/)

Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, said the agency plans to reinforce potential markets by using airlines in those regions that operate flights to Thailand.

The long-haul market projected to generate at least 770 billion THB (over 20.9 billion USD) this year from 10.8 million foreign arrivals, he noted.

He said TAT’s marketing in the second half of the year will focus on two potential groups - rising and mature markets.

The five mature markets that recorded gains during the same period that need to be maintained comprise France (38.7%), Germany (32%), the UK (22.6%), Russia (14.8%), and the US (14.3%).

As of May 29, the summer flight slots for most markets already exceeded pre-pandemic capacity, led by the Middle East with a recovery rate of 141%, followed by Europe (103%) and Africa (81.3%).

Siripakorn underlined the need to enhance cooperation with airlines as many countries still struggle with insufficient seat capacity and high airfares

TAT plans to discuss with airlines, encouraging them to combine airline seats with holiday packages or offer special prices for long-stay travelers aligning with Thailand's recent visa policy allowing longer stays of up to 60 days for citisens of 93 countries, he said

Source: VNA