Friday, December 15, 2023
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organized a special airport ceremony to warmly welcome the inaugural flight of Air India from Delhi to Phuket. Flight AI378, which touched down at 07:10 Hrs., received a water cannon salute as it taxied to its gate. Upon arrival, passengers were greeted by officials, dignitaries, and traditional Thai dancers.
Mr. Sophon Suwannarat, the Governor of Phuket, expressed enthusiasm about the start of Phuket’s high tourism season and the visa exemption for Indian travelers. He welcomed Air India’s new direct flights, providing Indian travelers with easy access to the beloved island destination, known for its stunning beaches and a wide range of attractions and activities, including Carnival Magic, Andamanda, and Aquaria. He looked forward to welcoming more Indian tourists to Phuket.
The welcome ceremony was presided over by the Governor of Phuket and attended by officials and representatives from TAT, as well as Phuket’s public and private sectors.
Mrs. Patsee Permvongsenee, TAT Executive Director of ASEAN, South Asia, and South Pacific Region, emphasized the convenience of Air India’s nonstop service, connecting Delhi to the world-famous Phuket. She highlighted the temporary tourist visa exemption available until May 10, 2024, making it an opportune time for Indian travelers to explore Thailand.
Starting from December 15, 2023, Air India will operate four weekly flights on the Delhi-Phuket route, with plans to increase to daily service in January 2024. The flights will be operated by an A320 neo aircraft with 162 seats, including 150 in Economy and 12 in Business Class. Flight AI 378 will depart from Delhi at 01:10 Hrs. and arrive in Phuket at 07:10 Hrs. on the same day, while the return flight AI 379 will take off from Phuket at 08:10 Hrs. and land in Delhi at 10:50 Hrs. on the same day.
Air India already operates 26 flights to Bangkok per week, including daily nonstop flights from Delhi and Mumbai and six weekly flights from Kolkata. The new Delhi-Phuket service enhances connectivity between the two cities, benefiting tourism and trade and contributing to Air India’s expansion plans in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
This latest air route between Delhi and Phuket is part of the 2,438,043 air-seat capacity between Thailand and India in 2023, marking a 77% rebound from the pre-pandemic year in 2019. During the six-month visa exemption period from November 2023 to May 2024, the number of flights between the two nations is expected to increase by 3.4% to 6,263 flights, with seat numbers growing by approximately 1.27% to 1,312,649 seats.
TAT anticipates that the visa exemption will stimulate Indian travelers to visit Thailand and has initiated promotional activities to generate interest. These activities include custom subsidies for corporate and incentive groups, weddings, and celebrations at the TAT New Delhi Office until March 31, 2024. Additionally, the TAT Mumbai Office will promote special tour packages for revisits and golfers, along with various publicity projects to raise awareness of Thailand as a wedding destination.
Between January 1 and December 10, 2023, Thailand received 1,506,287 arrivals from India, making it the fourth largest source of visitors. This number exceeded TAT’s “best case” scenario projection of 1,425,000 visitors for the entire year.
With the visa exemption in effect, TAT anticipates a 4.3% increase in the number of Indian tourists between November and December 2023, totaling 70,000 travelers and bringing the year’s total to 1,664,483.
Monday, January 1, 2024
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
