BANGKOK Airways Plc (BA) is confident that the Thai tourism industry will continue thriving amidst the war in the Middle East with foreign tourists likely coming here for extended stays as happened when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, PPTVHD36 said today (Mar. 7).
Mr. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, BA’s president and CEO, said Thailand’s charm, beauty and safety, would continue to attract tourists with a large number settling for long stay in tourist destinations such as Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Hua Hin.
Having just returned from ITB Berlin 2026 global tourism trade fair in Germany, he revealed that the main concern regarding the US-Iran war on Iran is its potential impact on the global economy and oil prices if the situation drags on for more than a month.
It could also affect tourist spending, potentially leading to holidaymakers becoming more cautious with their budgets.
Currently, the situation is inevitably impacting the aviation industry, as approximately 40% of European tourists rely on Middle Eastern airlines to travel to Asia. These airlines, which use large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and operate multiple daily flights to Thailand, landing in both Bangkok and Phuket, are currently unable to operate normally resulting in a significant drop in passenger numbers.
European tourists’ travel plans would be disrupted during the first two weeks to one month of the war. Switching to other airlines will be difficult as many are already fully booked with these airlines unable to immediately add long-haul flights due to the time required to allocate aircraft and aviation resources.
BA is preparing to work out strategies to address this global situation, such as reviewing cost structures, tightening belts to reduce costs, adjusting short- and long-term investment plans, and possibly focusing more on nearby markets in Asia, such as Japan and South Korea, if the European market is severely impacted.
The recovery of the Chinese market, particularly free independent travellers (FITs), who have high purchasing power, will also be monitored.
It was important to participate in the ITB Berlin 2026 trade fair, which took place during March 3-5, as 70-80% of BA’s passengers are tourists from Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Scandinavia, and Switzerland), he said, adding the goal was to meet with tour companies, distributors, and business partners, as well as get feedback from partners regarding the market situation and tourist confidence following the conflict, in order to adjust future operational plans.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – Bangkok Airways’ airplanes.
Insert – BA’s President and CEO Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth. Photos – PPTVHD36
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