Bangkok: Thai AirAsia X is launching three new routes to combat the strong baht and is advising the government to expedite measures to restore tourist confidence.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Pattra Busarawong, CEO of Thai AirAsia X, announced the launch of three new regional routes: Sendai (Japan), Almaty (Kazakhstan), and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). The airline anticipates that these new routes will stimulate increased travel between the countries, with an expected average passenger volume of 82% per flight, particularly on the Almaty and Riyadh routes, where there is significant demand from business travelers and potential investors. Sendai is already a favored destination for Thai travelers.
The stronger baht, compared to other regional currencies, has influenced the travel decisions of international tourists considering Thailand. Ms. Busarawong emphasized the need for the government to urgently implement measures to restore tourist confidence. This includes focusing on tourist safety and creating new attractions to encourage repeat visits. Short-term tourism stimulus measures, distinct from current initiatives, could also be explored. For instance, Japan offers ticket packages that provide benefits for visiting tourist attractions or for domestic travel when tourists purchase inbound flights. This concept could be proposed to the government through the Airline Association for potential adoption.
The new routes include direct flights from Don Mueang (DMK) to Almaty (ALA), Kazakhstan, operating four flights per week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; to Sendai (SDJ), Japan, also four flights per week on the same days; and to Riyadh (RUH), Saudi Arabia, with flights on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. All flights will utilize Airbus A330 aircraft. The routes to Almaty and Sendai are scheduled to commence on December 1, 2025, and the route to Riyadh on December 2, 2025.