Finland’s largest airline Finnair has become the first international airline to resume flights to Krabi, with the operation of a four times weekly service between Helsinki and Krabi, the Tourist Association of Thailand (TAT) recently announced.
Speaking on the matter, Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, said, “Finnair is an important inbound airline for Thailand’s tourism industry, bringing quality tourists from Finland and the Nordic market. The resumption of Finnair’s Helsinki-Krabi route is a good sign for us, as Thailand reopens to tourism and with the Visit Thailand Year 2022 campaign coming up.”
The Finnair service will operate from 8-31 December 2021, and from 1 January-24 March 2022. The inaugural Helsinki-Krabi flight (AY155) with 96 passengers and crew on board on 1 December 2021, was welcomed at Krabi International Airport by a delegation of high-ranking tourism and business executives.
This included Ms. Sarima Chindamat, TAT Deputy Executive Director Europe, Africa, and Middle East Region; Mr. Uthit Limsakul, TAT Krabi Office Director; Mr. Anuwat Modepringe, Krabi’s Vice Governor; Mr. Attaporn Nuang-udom, Krabi International Airport Director; Miss Sasithorn Kittidhrakul, Krabi Tourism Association President; Miss Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, Krabi Hotel Association President; Mr. Nattee Adisralux, Krabi Chamber of Commerce Chairman; Mr. Apichit Intachan, Product Prepay and Channel Executive, True Corporation Public Company Limited; and Mr. Ittirit Kinglek, a tourism expert from Krabi province.
In 2019, Thailand welcomed 128,012 tourist arrivals from Finland who generated 10,121.86 million Baht in revenue. Of the total Finnish arrivals, 63,375 visited Krabi generating 5,011.03 million Baht in revenue.
In more good news for Krabi’s tourism scene, the Department of Airports has approved the increased allocation of international flights to the Southern province during December. This includes five charter flights by TUI from various Nordic cities including Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, and Gothenburg on 18, 22, 23, 29, and 30 December 2021, and a three-times-weekly (Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday) service between Singapore and Krabi by Scoot Airlines with 26 flights in total.
Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Singapore are all among the 63 countries and territories from which fully vaccinated visitors can enter Thailand through the Exemption from Quarantine (TEST & GO) program. Fully vaccinated visitors from every country around the world can also visit Thailand via the Living in the “Blue Zone” Sandbox destinations program. Meanwhile, partially or unvaccinated visitors are also much welcomed via the Happy Quarantine program. However, to prevent and control the spread of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, Thailand currently imposes travel restrictions on arrivals from Africa.
