Russian bookings in Pattaya are increasing, whereas there are more Indians in Phuket.
In contrast to the less than 10,000 monthly arrivals throughout the prior months since the year’s beginning, almost 44,000 Russians visited Thailand in October.
The majority of guests arrived through chartered flights and avoided payment issues by using credit cards issued outside of the country.
The Moscow capital as well as places like Novosibirsk and Vladivostok, as well as commercial flights from Aeroflot’s flag carrier have been sending tourists to Bangkok and well-known beach resorts like Pattaya and Phuket, according to the Phuket Tourist Association (PTA).
Russian tourist arrivals are currently rated top in Phuket, according to PTA Advisory Chairman Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, who also noted that there are now a lot more Russian visitors than Indian tourists.
This stands in stark contrast to the nearly complete absence of Russians for about six months after airlines were compelled to halt flights and tourists found it challenging to make payments as a result of the suspension of the majority of Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system and a decline in the ruble.
The return of Russian tourists is thought to hasten the recovery of the country’s tourism economy in the absence of Chinese tourists, the largest group of visitors to Thailand prior to the pandemic.
Russians, whose average stay in Phuket is at least 12 days, have been utilizing foreign-issued credit cards and cash to pay for their travel and shopping, according to Bhummikitti.
The majority of financial transactions, according to Thanet Supornsahasrangsi, President of the Tourism Council of Chonburi, are settled in Dubai and other Middle Eastern locations.
Based on reservations made in advance, Tanet also stated that Pattaya will experience a surge in visitors in the upcoming months.
More than 20 million tourists are anticipated in Thailand the following year, which would be twice as many as this year but only about half as many as pre-pandemic arrivals.
