World enews: Bangkok welcomes Air Canada’s seasonal non-stop flight from Vancouver

Bangkok, 3 December, 2022 – Air Canada’s inaugural non-stop flight from Vancouver touched down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport this morning, marking a milestone for the new accessibility between North America and Thailand.

Present at the special welcome ceremony were H.E. Dr. Sarah Taylor, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and Mr. Virgilio Russi, Vice President International Sales, Air Canada.

Mr. Siripakorn said “This direct Vancouver-Bangkok service will certainly pave the way for many more mutual partnerships between the Canadian and Thai tourism industry. It will also strengthen Thailand as a preferred long-haul holiday destination for travellers from North America.”

Air Canada’s latest Vancouver-Bangkok flight is estimated to increase air seat capacity from North America to Thailand by approximately 5,000 seats per month.

The flight will be operated four times per week utilising a 298-seat Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner aircraft. The flying time is 13-16 hours one way.

The Vancouver-Bangkok service offers accessibility options to Thailand for travellers from Canada as well as from 14 US cities served with direct service to Vancouver by Air Canada. The airline also operates from its Toronto and Montreal hubs to 60 US cities.

The flight enables travellers from North America to escape winter and enjoy Thailand at its finest during the annual cool season with its warm and sunny weather, and warm Thai hospitality, Mr. Siripakorn added.

TAT is promoting the “Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023: Amazing New Chapters” in the Canadian market aiming for all segments, including Gen Z (Post Millennial), Millennials or Gen Y, Gen X, and Baby Boomers.

Key emphasis is on meaningful travel experiences that highlight the Amazing Thailand NFT products – Nature to keep, Food to explore, and Thainess to discover.

To promote the new Vancouver-Bangkok service, TAT with support from Air Canada hosted a fam trip for 10 media participants and influencers from Canada from 1-13 December, 2022. The trip features meaningful travel experiences in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Phuket.

TAT has been working closely with Air Canada to boost tourism to Thailand. Past activities included sales promotions, marketing events and initiatives, and fam trips for trade and media. A number of joint campaigns for consumer and trade are in the pipeline for 2023.

Canada is Thailand’s second largest market from the Americas. From January to September, 2022, Thailand welcomed 39,950 Canadian tourists, with the number expected to reach over 72,000 by the end of the year. The average length of stay of Canadian tourists is 18 days, and the spending per trip is 76,000 Baht.