Thai airlines and hotels say that the tourism crisis in the year ahead is set to dwarf last year’s in terms of its impact, a lack of customers, and an absence of government aid. Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder in Thai AirAsia, is warning that when international tourism eventually does resume, there may not be enough suppliers to meet demand as most operators have had to cut back operations and forgo leasing arrangements for planes.
Despite the government’s domestic tourism stimulus campaign, over 1.3 million airline seats, out of a quota of 2 million, remain unused. Even though the subsidy was increased from 2,000 to 3,000 baht, the low take-up shows people’s reluctance to fly at the moment, opting to travel to destinations within driving distance instead.
Meanwhile, the National Economic and Social Development…
