Tag: flights

New Bangkok-Kuching route boosts tourism in Malaysia and Thailand

BANGKOK, Jun 15 -- Tourism Malaysia welcomes the announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on the introduction of a new direct flight route between Bangkok and Kuching which is expected to be a catalyst for the growth of the Malaysian and Thai tourism sectors. Tourism Malaysia director in Bangkok Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus said the route would not only strengthen regional connectivity, but was also expected to stimulate the growth of the tourism industry in Sarawak and Sabah.   He said if the service begins operating as scheduled this October, it has the potential to increase tourist arrivals and boost tourism-related economic activities in both countries. "Tourism Malaysia welcomes AirBorneo's initiative to operate this new route as Kuching is one of the destinations that is being actively promoted to the Thai market." "Although Kuching is still less well-known among Thai tourists compared to Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru, continuous promotional efforts have succeeded in creating new demand and strengthening existing interest in this destination, especially due to its unique cultural heritage and nature-based attractions," he told Bernama when contacted today. The Bangkok-Kuching service is also expected to expand access for Thai tourists to Sarawak in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (TMM2026), thus opening up wider opportunities to explore Borneo's diverse cultures, ecotourism products and UNESCO-recognized heritage sites. Last week, CAAT announced the results of discussions regarding flight schedule revisions, increased service capacity and the opening of new routes to Thailand during the 158th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Slots Conference (SC158) in Bangkok. According to CAAT, AirBorneo is among four new airlines that have received airport slot allocations to operate services between Kuching International Airport and Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok. AirBorneo is expected to operate 14 flights per week on the Kuching–Suvarnabhumi route throughout the 2026/2027 winter schedule, which runs from 25 Oct 2026 to 27 March 2027. According to CAAT, other airlines that have also received new slot allocations for the season are Riyadh Air from Saudi Arabia, Virgin Atlantic from the United Kingdom and SkyUp Nistru from Moldova which will operate charter flight services. -- BERNAMA

BANGKOK, Jun 15 — Tourism Malaysia welcomes the announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on the introduction of a new direct flight route between Bangkok and Kuching which is expected to be a catalyst for the growth of the Malaysian and Thai tourism sectors. Tourism Malaysia director in Bangkok Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus […]