Around 20 percent of Indian tour groups scheduled to travel to Thailand have cancelled their trips following large-scale flight disruptions by IndiGo Airlines, India’s largest carrier, according to Thai travel industry officials. However, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has described the impact as temporary and remains confident that Indian tourist arrivals will still reach 2.4 to 2.5 million this year.
IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights in recent days after failing to prepare for newly implemented pilot rest regulations, causing widespread disruption to domestic air travel across India. Although the airline announced that its operations were fully restored as of December 8, the ripple effects continue to affect outbound tourism.
Domestic Disruptions Hit Group Travel
Vathanachai Chatrirath, Vice-President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the cancellations were primarily due to disrupted domestic connections within India. Many travelers from second-tier cities were unable to reach international gateways to board flights to Thailand, even though direct international services were largely operating normally.
He noted that December is a peak month for Indian group travel, particularly for incentive tours, family vacations, and destination weddings. Popular destinations for Indian visitors include Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Krabi, and Hua Hin. Traditionally, the first half of December sees heavy bookings before year-end holiday prices rise.
TAT Sees Short-Term Impact
Patsee Permvongsenee, Executive Director of the ASEAN, South Asia and South Pacific region at TAT, said that more than 3,800 IndiGo flights were cancelled between December 3 and 7, discouraging many group travelers from proceeding with their plans. Some travelers postponed their trips, while others opted to book alternative airlines at higher fares.
As of September, IndiGo held the largest market share for flights between India and Thailand, operating 107 weekly services out of a total 374 weekly flights. Thai Airways and Thai AirAsia ranked second and third, respectively.
Despite the recent setbacks, TAT said IndiGo has confirmed that its operations have now returned to normal. The tourism body remains optimistic that Indian arrivals will still reach a record high for the year.
Overall Tourist Numbers May Dip
TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool stated that Thailand’s overall international tourist arrivals may reach about 32 million this year, representing a 9.8 percent decline compared to 35.5 million recorded in 2024. She attributed the slowdown to multiple factors, including recent flooding in southern Thailand and regional geopolitical issues.
Nevertheless, authorities continue to view the Indian market as one of Thailand’s strongest and most resilient long-haul source markets, with expectations of recovery in the coming weeks.
