Thai Airways International will cancel some flights to eight countries from Bangkok due to a dramatic fall in demand and cancellations caused by the coronavirus scare. The flight adjustments this month and most of March cover destinations in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Bangladesh and the United Arabs Emirates. Flights have been reduced on the Bangkok-Seoul-Bangkok route from five to four daily 26 February to 28 March 2020. The airline will cancel flights on the Bangkok-Busan-Bangkok route on 27 February and 5 to 6 March 2020. Flights on the Bangkok-Singapore-Bangkok route will be cut from five four flights daily from 20 February to 27 March 2020.
Read More »Thai Airways launches LIVE TV on board
Thai Airways has started broadcasting ‘LIVE TV’ on Board’, which allows it to broadcast streaming television programmes on its aircraft. The airline is fully aware that passengers need to keep informed of the latest news while traveling on board and has launched a new ‘LIVETV’ on Board” service that enables passengers to watch broadcast television programs, such as news channels and sports competitions. Available television channels are CNN, BBC, NHK, and Sport 24. Passengers can watch real time news with viewers around the world and enjoy exciting live telecast sport matches just as they did at home, a press release by the airline said. ‘LIVE TV on Board’ started on June 14 on twelve Airbus A350-900 aircraft that operate flights to and from Chiang Mai, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai, Rome, Milan, and Brussels and on eight Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft that service flights to and from Tokyo, Taipei, Dubai, Vienna, Brisbane, Auckland, and Manila. Panasonic Avionics Company is entrusted to provide inflight connectivity via satellite transmission from the ground. ‘LIVE TV on Board’ makes it possible for the national carrier, to offer more products and services for passenger comfort and satisfaction. Passengers can watch real time news and sports competition for free, while some airlines may require additional payment for such services. This service helps strengthen THAI’s marketing strategy and increases ticket sales. Passengers who board THAI’s flight can enjoy the added convenience of keeping abreast of world news, the statement said.
Read More »Indian visitor arrivals double from 33k-66k in four years for New Zealand
The total visitor arrivals from India to New Zealand have doubled from 33,000 to 66,000 in the past four years, with more Indians visiting the country than ever before. In recognition of this incredible growth, Tourism New Zealand is expanding its annual travel trade event, Kiwi Link India, this year. The new format will see the organisation and partners hosting key buyers from around India in Mumbai from July 9-10, followed by frontline training in Bangalore and New Delhi from July 12-13 respectively. Kiwi Link serves as a platform for Indian travel agents, product managers and planners to interact with New Zealand operators and understand the new developments and market insights in the tourism sector. Kiwi Link 2018 will see participation from record 40 New Zealand operators, along with three airlines – Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways, Immigration New Zealand and 72 Indian delegates from 49 travel companies. More than 50 Indian participants are expected to attend the frontline training programme which will be conducted in the Bengaluru and New Delhi markets. Steven Dixon, Regional Manager-South and South-East Asia, Tourism New Zealand said, “The record number of New Zealand operators visiting India to participate in Kiwi Link this year is a real reflection on the value we place on the market. This event provides an opportunity for both new and experienced tourism operators to develop an alliance with vital travel decision makers, thus enabling them to drive sales out of India.”
Read More »Thai Airways to start flights to Vienna from Nov 16
Thai Airways has added Vienna to its European network in order to cater to the increasing demand from India to destinations beyond Thailand. The airline will start operations from November 16, 2017. The flight is already online for sales and aims to optimise connectivity at Bangkok for passengers from Southeast Asia and Australia, reveled Bryan Ernest Banston, Vice President-Sales, Thai Airways International. He said, “With regards to the India market, it remains an important market for us. The Thai Smile program that we have, covers Tier-II cities like Jaipur. We also see a lot of traffic from India going beyond Thailand to Australia and New Zealand. We especially see growing traffic going to China from India’s secondary cities.”
Read More »TCEB launches campaign to incentivise Indian MICE travellers
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), in collaboration with Visa International (Thailand) Company Limited, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Thai Airways, Thai Smile Airways Company Limited, and Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, has launched the Spice Up Thailand 2017 campaign for the fourth consecutive year. The campaign offers special privileges for MICE travelers, such as 10 per cent hotel discounts, 50 per cent discounts for car rentals and airport transfers, Bt500 cash coupons for shopping, 25 per cent restaurant discounts, and 50 per cent off golf course green fees. In addition, other hotel, shopping, dining, wellness, activity and transportation promotions have been made available. In 2017, the Spice Up Thailand Campaign is working in alliance with registered organizations with more than 60 exhibitions in total. Nopparat Maythaveekulchai, President, TCEB, said, “Promoting MICE-related business through adopting an online marketing strategy has been a significant tool applied by TCEB, aimed to boost the domestic and international market of MICE travelers. Consistent with the government’s Digital Economy policy, this will drive the growth of Thailand’s MICE industry, while also supporting the overall economic growth of the country.” TCEB has developed the Spice Up Thailand campaign together with five partners in order to promote and create awareness of the MICE industry overseas, as well as delivering a first-class experience to MICE travelers; in turn, help to increase spending and encourage MICE travelers to extend their stay in Thailand. The campaign has been carried out for the previous three years and is continuously developing in terms of adding new privileges for domestic MICE travelers, and targeting the MICE industry in Asia, specifically CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) countries. In the previous year, …
Read More »Thai Smile to start flights from Ahmedabad, Chandigarh
Viset Sontichai, Director, Indian Sub-Continent (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Nepal), Thai Airways, has revealed that Thai Smile will start operations from Ahmedabad and Chandigarh to Bangkok very soon. However, Sontichai, who has recently taken over operations for the Indian Sub-continent, did not reveal any dates for this route as yet. But, he said that they are planning to launch the new route to cater to the growing Tier-II and Tier-III markets. He also said that among the new connections from India, they are planning to connect UK from Bangkok via India. However, instead of London they are planning to connect Manchester and Birmingham. He also revealed that they are planning to also start a flight from Islamabad to Manchester by the end of this year.
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