By Kenny Teng Khoon Hock
BANGKOK, June 15 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia has welcomed the announcement by Thailand's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) on the introduction of a new direct air route between Bangkok and Kuching, describing it as a significant boost for tourism in both Malaysia and Thailand.
Tourism Malaysia director in Bangkok, Nurul Ain Mohammed Yunus, said the route would be a valuable addition to regional connectivity and is expected to benefit tourism in Sarawak and Sabah.
She said that if the service commences as planned in October, it would have a positive impact on visitor arrivals and tourism-related activities in both countries.
"Tourism Malaysia applauds AirBorneo's initiative to operate this new route, as Kuching is a destination that we are keen to promote to the Thai market.
"Although Kuching is less well known among Thai travellers compared with Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru, ongoing marketing efforts have helped generate both existing and new demand for the destination, particularly due to its unique cultural heritage and nature-based attractions," she told Bernama when contacted on Monday.
The Bangkok-Kuching service is also expected to enhance access to Sarawak amid Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), providing Thai travellers with greater opportunities to experience Borneo's cultural diversity, ecotourism attractions, and UNESCO-recognised heritage sites.
Last week, CAAT announced the outcome of discussions on revised flight schedules, additional services and new routes to Thailand during the 158th International Air Transport Association (IATA) Slot Conference (SC158) held in Bangkok.
According to CAAT, AirBorneo was among four new airlines allocated airport slots for services between Kuching International Airport and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport.
AirBorneo is expected to operate 14 weekly flights on the Kuching–Suvarnabhumi route during the Winter 2026/2027 schedule, which runs from Oct 25, 2026 to March 27, 2027.
CAAT said the other newly allocated carriers for the Winter 2026/2027 season are Riyadh Air of Saudi Arabia, Virgin Atlantic of the United Kingdom, and SkyUp Nistru of Moldova, which will operate charter services.
-- BERNAMA
TAGS: Thailand, Malaysia, CAAT, Bangkok, IATA, AirBorneo, Economy
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