TAT pushes ‘Airline Focus’ strategy to draw 11 million long-haul visitors
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) sees European arrivals hitting a record 8.8 million, fueled by strong demand and new direct flight corridors.
- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is implementing its 'Airline Focus' strategy to increase long-haul tourist arrivals by actively promoting and supporting airlines to launch new flights.
- The strategy has successfully secured new and returning services, including United Airlines from Los Angeles, Norse Atlantic from Manchester, Air France from Paris, and Arkia from Tel Aviv.
- As a result of this focus, flight capacity from Europe has increased by over 16% compared to the previous year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels from 2019.
- TAT plans to expand the strategy by adding more direct routes from Europe and negotiating with new markets like Poland, aiming for a record 11.6 million long-haul tourists in 2026.
Suladda Sarutilavan, Director of the Europe Region at TAT, said the agency is pressing ahead with its Airline Focus strategy to boost long-haul arrivals, stressing that improving access to Thailand remains the top priority.
TAT has actively been promoting and supporting airlines to launch new flights to Thailand.
During the upcoming high season (late this year through the first quarter of next year), several airlines are gradually commencing new services:
- United Airlines is returning to Thailand after an 11-year hiatus with the Los Angeles – Hong Kong – Bangkok route.
- Arkia Israeli Airlines Flight IZ591 now operates non-stop from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
- Norse Atlantic Airways is the first airline to open a direct route from Manchester to Thailand.
- Air France launched its inaugural direct flight from Paris, France, to Phuket International Airport, operating three times a week with a Boeing 777-200 (328 seats) until March 2026.
France is the fifth-largest long-haul market for tourist arrivals in Thailand, following Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany, highlighting its status as a quality market to watch.
French Market Shows Strong Potential and Growth
The French market is considered high-potential and high-growth.
From January 1 to November 23, 2025, Thailand welcomed 710,968 French tourists, a 13.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
- Most French tourists are First-Visit travellers.
- They are Free Independent Travellers (FIT).
- Their average expenditure is approximately THB58,611 per person per trip, with a relatively long average length of stay at 17.22 days.
- Popular destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, and Surat Thani.
TAT projects that French tourist arrivals will reach 846,000 by the end of 2025. Furthermore, the new direct route by Air Arabia from Sharjah, UAE, to Krabi is also contributing to increased accessibility.
Long-Haul Strategy and Outlook
The growth of the long-haul market is driven by the continued implementation of the Airline Focus strategy to attract quality tourists to Thailand. Enhancing air access capacity is a key factor in driving tourist arrivals.
As a result, flight capacity from Europe this year has already increased by over 16% compared to last year and is 5% higher than the pre-COVID level in 2019, a major positive factor for the long-haul market.
TAT targets a new record for the European market in 2026, reaching 8.8 million arrivals, supporting an overall new high of 11.6 million long-haul tourists.
TAT will further expand the "Airline Focus" strategy, emphasising the addition of direct routes to Thailand, particularly new European routes that are still being developed.
This includes Norse Atlantic's preparation to fly from Stockholm and Oslo to Phuket.
TAT is currently engaged in joint marketing efforts with several international airlines, such as Norse Atlantic, Condor, TUI, British Airways, and Air France.
The long-haul market outlook remains bright and positive across all segments.
In the European market, tourists still favour Bangkok and Phuket but show an increasing trend toward secondary cities like Krabi.
Key indicators are positive: The recovery of flight operations is crucial for moving tourists, with an average expenditure of over THB60,000 per trip and longer stays, averaging two weeks per trip.
This trend is escalating, especially in the Luxury, Health, and Wellness segments, further driving spending growth.
For the European low season, TAT sees opportunities in other markets, such as Southern Europe and the Middle East.
It is moving forward with negotiations to secure direct flights from countries currently without commercial services to Thailand, such as Poland and Eastern European countries, which currently rely on charter flights.
This trend should continue smoothly, provided there are no major disruptions such as war, geopolitical tensions, or economic crises.
If the economies of the source countries remain strong, travel to Thailand will benefit.
As of November 23, 2025, Thailand welcomed 6.94 million European tourists, an increase of nearly 13% compared to the previous year.
The year-end figure is projected to reach 8.45 million, exceeding the 2019 pre-COVID level.
In 2026, key markets like the UK, Germany, and France may surpass 1 million arrivals, while Russia could reach 2 million.
Thailand's strategy is therefore not to compete on price, but to focus on the quality of its products and services.
However, TAT acknowledges that even with a robust European market, it cannot fully offset the significant decline in the short-haul market due to the vast differences in population size and flight capacity.
