TAT earmarks budget for year-end foreign markets

As the Middle East conflict persists, Thailand's Tourism Authority (TAT) intends to utilize a portion of its emergency budget to bolster foreign markets during the last two months of the year. Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool noted that many airlines are reducing flights to the region, signaling that the situation remains unresolved and may impact global travel sentiment.

To counteract this, the agency will allocate budget relief to all foreign markets during the year-end period, aiding in maintaining both commercial and charter flights. The program will set specific criteria for flight subsidies, similar to the Thailand Summer Blast scheme, including load factor requirements and consideration of new routes.

The subsidy scheme is set to commence this month, following the latest meeting of the National Tourism Policy Committee. This move could support year-end festive events that attract foreign tourists, such as Vijit Chaophraya, Tomorrowland, and EDC Phuket. Increasing flights from short-haul markets is simpler than targeting long-haul markets, as travelers can choose to visit Thailand more swiftly.

Deputy Governor Chiravadee Khunsub for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas explained that it is more challenging for airlines flying long-haul routes to enhance flight capacity rapidly compared to those in short-haul markets. Most long-haul flights were already scheduled well before the season. The agency will assess the unbooked seat capacity on these long-haul flights and collaborate with airlines to provide attractive deals on available seats.

As of October 31, Thailand received 25.5 million foreign arrivals, a 4.6% decrease year-on-year. The agency aims for 33 million arrivals this year, meaning it requires over 7 million additional visitors in the remaining two months.