CHIANG MAI, 15 November 2018: Thai AirAsia has confirmed it will start a new service, 30 November, to Beijing from North Thailand’s top tourist destination.
Using an A320 the daily service will depart Chiang Mai at 2240 and arrive in Beijing at 0440 on the following morning.
The return flight will depart Beijing at 0550 and arrive in Chiang Mai at 0940.
Tourist arrivals from China to Chiang Mai dropped in October with hotels that usually reported high 80% occupancy for the month surviving with less than 25%.
The big declines are in budget to three-star category hotels that prospered almost entirely on cheap Chinese tour packages.
Hoteliers said the new Thai AirAsia flight, while catering to budget travellers, should attract independent Chinese tourists and families with a higher travel spend than the charter holiday market.
Meanwhile, the airline intends to launch a new domestic service, 21 December, from the eastern seaboard airport of U-Tapao to the northeast town of Khon Kaen.
Scheduling four flights a week on Monday, Wednesday Friday and Sunday the airline will use an Airbus A320 departing from U-Tapao at 0700 and arriving in Khon Kaen at 0800.
U-Tapao airport is located just 35 km south of Pattaya city on the Gulf of Thailand coast.
Khon Kaen is a busy commercial town in Northeast Thailand promoted as an emerging destination for events and conferences.
The Pacific Asia Travel Association is hosting its Destination Marketing Forum in Khon Kaen 28 to 30 November.
