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THAI adjusts fuel surcharge on international flights
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited adjusted its fuel
surcharge on international flights to some routes, effective June 12
onwards, due to the increase in global jet fuel cost.
Pandit Chanapai, THAI’s executive vice president, Commercial Department,
said that it was necessary to implement an increase in fuel surcharge on
some international routes based on actual distance flown. The company
has adjusted its fuel surcharge on air tickets issued by THAI’s sales
and ticketing offices worldwide for all classes of travel on THAI,
details as follows:
International Flights
- Return flights routed Bangkok-Europe (including Israel), those being:
London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Rome, Milan, Athens, Moscow,
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Zurich, Madrid, and Tel Aviv, at a fuel
surcharge of USD86.50 per sector (from previous rate of USD76.50 per
sector).
- Return flights routed Bangkok-Australia, those being: Sydney,
Melbourne, and Brisbane, at a fuel surcharge of USD74.50 per sector
(from previous rate of USD64.50 per sector).
- Return flights routed Bangkok-Perth, at a fuel surcharge of USD57 per
sector (from previous rate of USD47 per sector).
- Return flights routed Bangkok-New Zealand, at a fuel surcharge of
USD86.50 per sector (from previous rate of USD76.50 per sector).
As for return flights routed Bangkok-the United States of America, to
Los Angeles, a fuel surcharge of USD104.50 per sector (from previous
rate of USD89.50 per sector) was implemented on May 25.
Thai tourism trade
counting on TTM 2009
Sirima Eamtako,
TTG Asia
Thailand’s travel trade is banking on the country’s annual Thailand
Travel Mart Plus the Greater Mekong Subregion (TTM+) 2009, held last
week, to help stimulate business and revive tourists’ confidence.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy governor for international
marketing, Santichai Euachongprasit, said the Thai NTO hoped
international buyers would see firsthand the country’s strengths as a
tourism destination.
He said that despite the global financial crisis, special deals launched
by Thai hotels and tourism operators would make it possible to travel
into Thailand. Meanwhile, the Thai political situation was moving to a
resolution, he added.
“We must all look forward. We are now starting to see signs of recovery
with enquiries for inbound incentive groups trickling in. This means
confidence in Thailand is returning.”
About 400 sellers and 375 buyers - down from last year’s 440 buyers -
conducted B2B meetings during trade days from June 4 to 5. Usually,
about 30 percent of buyers are first-timers to TTM+.
Santichai said new buyers this year included niche tour operators and
delegates from key and emerging markets such as the US, South Africa and
the Middle East.
TAT Pattaya connects small travel
companies with overseas tour agents
The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya office
staged a travel-market table top sale June 6.
Pramote Channgam
In an effort to boost local tourism, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s
Pattaya office this month staged a low-cost travel market to match up small
Pattaya travel-related businesses with tour companies from a dozen countries.
Three dozen Pattaya companies participated in the table top sale at the Zign
Hotel in Naklua June 6. Attending were 32 companies from Australia, Cambodia,
China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Romania
and the United States.
TAT Pattaya Director Niti Kongkrut said the overseas companies had been
attending the agency’s Thailand Travel Mart 2009 in Bangkok and were invited to
Pattaya to meet smaller companies who could not afford a booth at the Impact
Arena show. A low-cost swap meet-style event, he said, was a way to help small
companies get some international business, he said.
The sale was a big success, Niti said, and allowed companies to discuss prices
and contract rates. The international companies also toured Pattaya’s Sanctuary
of Truth and Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens.
Japanese demand
for Thailand tumbles
Sirima Eamtako,
TTG Asia
Thailand is facing the worst ever decline in Japanese arrivals, with the number
expected to dive to half of last year’s one million visitors.
Thai-Japan Tourist Association (TJTA) president, Anake Srishevachart, attributed
the fall to rising concerns over the Influenza A(H1N1) virus outbreak, on top of
the economic downturn and the Thai political situation. Srishevachart said the
number of inbound Japanese tourists was as good as gone.
Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok marketing director, Sa-nguan Limtanakul,
said the hotel had suffered a 70 percent reduction in Japanese guests and the
majority of Japanese tourists that still visited Thailand opted to stay in other
lower-category hotels for cheaper rates.
Nishitetsu Travel representative, Ikuo Nakano, said Japanese travel, either
domestic or outbound, was declining, and was uncertain as to when the situation
would recover.
However, Nakano said Thailand remains a popular destination among the Japanese
due to its affordable prices and culture. “The market will return when the
A(H1N1) flu and economic situations are better,” Nakano said.
According to the Association of Thai Travel Agents, its members handled 70,501
Japanese tourists arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport between January and May this
year, down from 133,727 arrivals recorded in the same period last year.
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