Thanks to the special offers from the hoteliers of Thailand, now there are a lot of hotels at attractive prices in the range of tour operators, but the leading players cautiously arrange flight programs. Meanwhile, experts say that next winter, prices for tours to Thailand will be significantly higher than they were this winter.
Although the winter season on Thai destination was relatively stable, it did not satisfy the optimistic expectations of market players. Few operators reported about a small increase in volumes, most tour operators kept last winter's figures, but there are also those who sent fewer tourists in annual terms.
According to experts, besides the general economic situation, there was a significant excess of transportation on the destination. This factor did not allow some players to finish the season in Thailand with the planned profitability. The excess was generated mainly by Aeroflot, adding to the last year’s volume additional seven frequencies to Bangkok and three to Phuket.
As a result, tour operators with their charter programs were forced to reduce prices in order to ensure loading, and many players, who arrange tours on regular flights, decided not to take blocks of seats.
Prices also increased in Thailand itself, which also affected demand. Philip Obruchev-Mironov, the head of the mass destinations of Intourist tour operator, says that prices for hotels at a number of popular beach resorts in Thailand have increased this winter and spring due to an increase in demand from China, India and even Iran.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, today about 65-70% of Russian tourists visit the country traditionally in winter. But gradually the situation is changing, the seasonality is smoothed out.
“Thailand is certainly popular in the summer for residents of Siberia and Far East, for whom the flight to the resorts of the Mediterranean coast is longer and more expensive than flights to the countries in Southeast Asia,” said Alexan Mkrtchyan, the CEO of Pink Elephant travel agency network.
