Why Thailand Is the Best Bet for Russian Tourists These Days
Photo Credit: Russian tourists are back in droves to Thailand, the result of direct flights. VisualHunt / Ted's Photos
Skift Take
Thailand needs tourists and Russians need to travel. The equation seems to have worked out pretty well so far for the two countries.
An innkeeper in Bangkok’s Sathorn area has been desperately looking to hire more staff to cater to the increasing number of tourists at his place.
Crediting the Russian tourists for this windfall, he said 25 of his 30 rooms have been taken up by travelers from Russia, with the average length of stay being between 10-15 days.
The innkeeper, who wished not to disclose this name or address so as to keep his Russian tourists safe, told Skift that “Russians have helped bring business back to establishments like mine that had been battered by Covid.”
The arrival of sanction-hit Russian tourists increased sevenfold in Thailand in November to 109,000 compared to 16,000 in September and this has been facilitated largely by the resumption of direct flights.
The demand from Russian tourists has also surged forward bookings. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, expects more than one million Russian to
