Kochi: Thailand holds out big allure

Kochi: With the low-cost airline Thai AirAsia set to launch the first ever daily direct flights from Cochin international airport to Bangkok from May 17 with a promotional fare starting from Rs 2,999, the tourist outflow from the state to the exotic destination is set to increase. According to Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia's amazing connectivity allows travellers to connect to over 20 destinations in Thailand also.

Thailand is hoping to market its world famous beaches in Phuket, Samui, Pattaya and Krabi, and the lush green mountains in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai northern Thailand, among many other amazing cities, among discerning travelers from Kerala.

Soraya Homchuen, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Director of Mumbai, says that in 2015, a total of 1,069,149 Indian visitors arrived in Thailand making Indian travellers the 6th largest group of travellers to the country. This is 14.64 percent increase from the previous year. A total of 104,393 Thai visitors travelled to India during 2014, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year.

Thailand covers an area of 514,000 square kilometers, roughly the size of France. Bangkok has a population of 10 million. Soraya also says that enjoying the exotic Thai cuisine in Thailand itself  would be an altogether different experience. "Beyond Bangkok's temples and shopping malls, the night life also needs to be experienced," she says.

One of the major attractions of Thailand is its pleasure industry which was worth $ 4.3 billion annually a few years ago and is legal there. According to Soraya, tourism contributes to 10 percent of national income. Thailand provides excellent facilities for sporting vacations, golf, scuba-diving and yachting. Exotic spas are another specialty while festivals are an integral part of Thai living, both Budhist and secular. The most traditional form of Thai entertainment is dance drama.

"The pleasure industry is only a part. We are here to promote Thailand as a family destination. We understand that a large number of Keralites can afford a tour to Thailand. Good rooms come for Rs 2500 per day and transportation and other facilities are also there. Earlier tourists from here need to either go to Bangalore or Chennai to fly to Bangkok. Now you have a direct daily flight," says Soraya.

Lush green hilly region is another attraction of the country. Best known perhaps is Khao Yai National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site located northeast of Bangkok, which covers 542,000 acres of forest, jungle and grassland spread over rolling hills.

Over 60 plus flights take off from India to Bangkok weekly. Cochin international airport director A C K Nair says that the new international terminal of Cochin airport with 15 lakh sq ft area will enable more airlines to operate more services to international destinations and Thai AirAsia is the first one to identify the potential of tourists from Kerala and also the growing potential of the airport.