THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: Figures compiled by Airports of Thailand (AoT) show that the number of passengers passing through Thailand’s six main airports in 2009 were almost the same as that in 2008.

The AoT figures show that total passenger numbers fell by just 0.87 percent to 53.93 million, largely due to a 5.43 percent increase in domestic passengers.

According to the AoT, international aircraft movements dropped by 4.25 percent to 202,745, resulting in a 4.53 percent drop in international passengers to 32.89 million, while 21.1 million domestic passengers were carried on 159,731 aircraft movements.

The AoT said international air freight dropped by 12.49 percent to 1.04 million tonnes, while domestic airfreight dropped by 3.78 percent to 94,066 tonnes.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport saw a 3.36 percent increase in flight frequencies to 253,967 movements, boosting passenger traffic by 4.91 percent to 40.49 million, though airfreight dropped 12.34 percent 1.03 million tonnes.

The figures support the expectations of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) that a surge in passenger numbers which began last August will see inbound international tourist arrivals for 2009 down by around only four percent, to 14 million passengers, compared to 2008.

With most analysts tipping the slump in international air travel having bottomed out and for the situation to improve throughout 2010, the TAT is now forecasting a 7 to 10 percent increase for 2010 to between 15 and 15.5 million foreign visitors, provided there are “no serious political disruptions” throughout the year.

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for January 15, 2010




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