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Thai aviation has cut several flight routes, and outbound international travel from Thailand could fall by as much as 20%, according to the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA). The flight cancellations are expected to translate into a 15–20% year-over-year decline in outbound travel during the low season and about a 10% drop for the full year.
Thai carriers have reduced capacity on specific routes for parts of the summer schedule. Thai AirAsia X has cut the Bangkok–Sapporo route, while Thai AirAsia has reduced routes to China for the rest of the summer schedule. Separately, Thai Airways has cut some domestic and international routes in May.
Mr. Chotechuang Soorangura, Vice President of the TTAA, said airlines are reducing or consolidating flights on unprofitable or less popular routes to align with current demand and higher fuel costs.
So far, tour groups have not been affected because the changes are occurring outside Thailand’s peak tourism season. Even where tour operators have sold packages, if flights are canceled, they can still obtain refunds from airlines and arrange substitute flights with foreign carriers that continue to operate from major cities with similar schedules.
“Outbound travel is currently limited to certain groups. Only some businesses and high-end segments of travel can still afford the trips,” he said.
Mr. Chotechuang added that Thai travelers are concerned about living costs and tightening discretionary spending. Government agencies and public organizations have also canceled overseas trips as part of budget and energy-saving policies.
During previous Songkran periods, some tour operators charged clients additional fees to cover higher airfares tied to fuel surcharges. This applied only in cases where agencies had held seats but had not fully paid.
Airfares are expected to rise in the coming months, pushing up tour prices by about 20%.
In the summer schedule, which coincides with the off-peak season, the number of foreign tourists could fall 15–20% versus a year earlier, Mr. Chotechuang said.
Mr. Chotechuang, who is also managing director of NS Travel and Tours, said his company is adjusting its strategy by offering more domestic tours and targeting corporate travelers shifting from international trips to domestic travel.
He also said pent-up demand from Thai travelers is expected to surge in the coming winter, particularly for Europe and long-haul itineraries, after plans were delayed during Songkran when international flights return to normal and fuel prices stabilize. As a result, foreign outbound tourist numbers this year could fall up to 10% year on year.
Top destinations this year remain China and Japan.
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