Thailand is seeking to attract more visitors from Saudi Arabia following the launch of direct flights by its national airline from the oil-rich country to the popular resort island.
Phuket Airport welcomed the first Saudia flight SV852 from Riyadh on Monday, with another direct service, SV850 from Jeddah, starting on Wednesday.
Establishing direct flights enhances tourism in Thailand by simplifying the travel process for vacationers from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations to Thai destinations beyond Bangkok, explained Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas.
Siripakorn noted robust demand for travel to Thailand from Saudi Arabia, highlighting a significant increase in Saudi tourists since diplomatic relations were renewed in 2022, after more than thirty years.
In the first ten months of this year, approximately 188,000 Saudi tourists visited Thailand, marking a 30% increase from the previous year.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has set a goal of attracting 220,000 visitors from Saudi Arabia this year, aiming to increase that number to 330,000 by next year.
Saudi tourists are known for their high spending during trips, averaging around 80,000 baht per visit, which significantly exceeds the average expenditure of 50,000 baht by other foreign tourists in Thailand.
Saudia now operates three weekly flights connecting Riyadh and Jeddah with Phuket and also provides services to Bangkok from these Saudi cities.
