Most Thais raring to fly overseas now that borders have opened

When it comes to choosing an international destination, some 2,000 Thai respondents pinpointed three factors they base their decisions on:

• Cost of travel: 65%

• Weather: 49%

• Need to explore new places: 48%

They were allowed more than one answer in Visa Thailand’s “Travel Intentions Study 2023 – Outbound Edition” survey.

“Thai travellers have had a pent-up craving to travel after not being able to venture abroad for so long during the pandemic,” said Pipavin Sodprasert, Visa Thailand’s country manager.

“With more countries reopening their borders, we wanted to take a closer look at how Thais are rediscovering their favourite international destinations and navigating a world of uncertainty.”

The study also found that people are putting the travel barriers of the pandemic behind them with just over a third (35%) concerned about the reopening policy of their preferred destination, and just over one-fifth (23%) are worried about the pandemic.

Here were some of the questions and responses gathered in the survey:

Top 3 reasons for going overseas

• Exploring new places: 61%

• Spending quality time with friends and family: 42%

• Revisit favourite destination: 36%

How is the trip organised?

• Personally: 41%

• Joining a flexible tour: 21%

• Joining package tour: 11%

How many times do you expect to travel in the next 12 months?

• Once: 53%

• Twice: 31%

• Three times: 11%

Length of stay per trip

• 5-7 days: 39%

• 8-10 days: 22%

• More than 2 weeks: 12%

What are you willing to pay more for?

• Better food: 56%

• Hassle-free service: 52%

• More exotic destinations: 36%

How much are you willing to spend?

• Leisure trip: Up to 45,000 baht

• Business trip: Up to 40,000 baht

Preferred payment method overseas

• Cards: 69%

• Cash: 61%

• Contactless, digital wallet: 57%

What are the benefits of digital payment methods?

• Security: 60%

• Convenience: 56%

• Can keep track of spending: 49%

Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.

“It’s clear that Thai travellers are ready to leave many of their pandemic-related concerns around travel behind them," Pipavin added.

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