Thailand still in demand among European tourists during low season
Even during Thailand's tourism low season, the Kingdom is still a high-demand destination for many European - and especially British - holidaymakers, according to June-July flight search data collected by Skyscanner, a global travel search website.
In terms of the number of flight searches to/in Thailand by country, Skyscanner data reveal that seven of the top 10 markets are from Europe.
Top of the table is the United Kingdom, followed by Russia. Thailand is third, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, China, Italy, Ireland and Spain.
The 2013 top-10 countries, and their rankings, are very similar to Skyscanner results recorded for the same months last year, with one change – China replaces Singapore in the list.
“The stats reinforce two Thailand-related travel trends,” said Grace Pobpabha Areerat, Skyscanner market development manager for Thailand.
The first is the enduring appeal of Thailand to British and mainland European tourists, many of whom are looking for summer vacation destinations between June and August.
“The data also confirm Thailand’s current status as a ‘must visit’ destination for Chinese tourists.
This is backed by the Kasikorn Research Centre, which reported that Chinese tourist arrivals in Thailand in the first quarter were up 93 per cent from the same period last year,” she said.
In addition to the upsurge from mainland China, more arrivals from Belgium, Brazil, South Korea, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Macau, Taiwan and Myanmar can be expected in the near term.
Skyscanner data reveal that these markets recorded the biggest percentage increase in flight searches to Thailand, based on 2013 versus 2012 figures.
