The number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand increased 140 per cent in this year’s first quarter year-on-year as a result of the availability of more flight routes, according to Thai AirAsia Chief Executive Tassapol Bijleveld.
He said the number of Chinese tourists travelling by air in Q1 increased 97 per cent compared to the same period last year, counting for over 850,000 persons, of whom 80 per cent were Thai AirAsia’s passengers. The airline served over 1.1 million Chinese tourists entering Thailand last year, Mr Tassapol said.
As a result, it aims to attract five million Chinese travellers in the next five years, while preparing an expanding business plan as well as opening new routes and having a new Airbus fleet. The executive said there are increasing numbers of young Chinese travellers visiting Thailand with high spending behaviour.
Therefore, he advised the Thai business sector to prepare for the new spenders, while predicting that the hotel and accommodations sector would also grow very fast. Mr Tassapol noted that routes to Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia are as well destinations receiving positive feedback, with 88-per cent growth rate year-on-year.
He said Q1’s passenger figure accomplished the company’s goal, and by year-end, the airline aims to attract more than 10 million passengers, up from 8.3 million last year and from 6.9 million in 2011. Thai AirAsia offer different direct routes linking Bangkok with seven Chinese cities — Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Wuhan, Xian — as well as Chiang Mai-Macau-Chiang Mai. MCOT online news
via Chinese travellers to Thailand in Q1 increase 140% year-on-year | MCOT.net | MCOT.net.
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Zhong Li is a tech journalist who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology. Zhong Li is passionate about exploring the ethical and social implications of emerging technologies.
