About 1.5 million Indian tourists have so far visited Thailand this year, surpassing the target, following the introduction of a tourist visa exception scheme, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Friday.
Patsee Permvongsenee, TAT Executive Director of Asean, South Asia, and South Pacific Region, said the visa exemption for Indian travellers, in effect from Nov 10 this year until May 10, 2024, has resulted in an increase in daily Indian arrivals from 4,000 people to 5,000-5,500 people.
The number of Indian tourists entering the country has now reached 1.5 million, exceeding the TAT's earlier target of 1.4 million for this year, said Ms Patsee.
TAT's New Delhi and Mumbai offices have intensified promotional campaigns with their partners to boost tourist arrivals from India. The campaigns focus on corporate and incentive groups, golfers, wedding and honey-moon groups as they were considered high potential groups, she said during a special activity to welcome the inaugural flight of Air India from New Delhi to Phuket on Friday.
Phuket governor Sophon Suwannarat, executives and officials from the TAT, Phuket airport, government agencies and private firms attended the event to welcome Indian visitors on board flight AI378.
Starting from Friday, Air India will operate four flights per week on the New Delhi-Phuket route, said Ms Patsee. The airline will use A320 Neo airbus that could accommodate 162 passengers per flight for this route that will depart New Delhi on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The number of flights will be increased from four per week to daily flights in January, she added.
Direct flights on this route will increase the air-seat capacity between India and Thailand to 2,438,043 seats, marking a 77% rebound from 1992, pre-coronavirus-pandemic.
From Jan 1 to Dec 10 this year, there have been 1.5 million Indian arrivals with an average spending of 39,500 baht per person per trip.
Most Indian arrivals were free independent travellers or FIT which accounted for 75%. Their popular tourist destinations were Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phuket, Krabi and Phangnga, according to the TAT.
Indian tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi airport, Samut Prakan province, on Nov 10, 2023. (Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)
Monchai Tanode, director of Phuket airport, said Air India will operate seven flights per day after New Year. Currently, India ranks third in terms of passenger arrivals, with Russia in the first position, followed by China, he said.
Lerdchai Wangtrakoondee, director of TAT’s Phuket office, said the inaugural flight of New Delhi-Phuket would further boost the Indian market for the island resort province.
India has moved up to the third position from fourth, with approximately 1,000 Indian tourists visiting Phuket daily. From January to November, there were 235,070 Indian arrivals to the island province.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) holds an activity to welcome tourists from he inaugural flight of Air India from New Delhi to Phuket on Friday. (Photo: Achadthaya Chuenniran)
