Thailand flight sales soar, searches for outbound trips up 200% in Q1

The first quarter of this year saw international flight sales to Thailand surpass 2019 figures, while searches for outbound Thai flights and overseas accommodation rose by 200%, according to online travel agency Traveloka.

Iko Putera, the company’s chief executive of transport, anticipates a positive travel trend for Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia this year. This is driven by pent-up demand from those with purchasing power and individuals who have saved for post-pandemic trips.

Putera also highlighted the growth of social media usage, which has helped to boost marketing and sales, encouraging more people to travel. However, limited flight capacity remains a challenge as airlines gradually increase capacity to pre-pandemic levels.

Despite the possibility of a global economic recession, Putera noted that tourism spending has remained stable, along with…