Finally, provision of fast and efficient services for passengers is very important since a tourist’s goal is recreation. Business people focus on accommodation and speedy transportation. Services should be effective, quick and of good quality.


- Impressive services from the flight attendants to the ground staff, can affect the passenger’s decision to use one airline over another, even if the cost is   a little higher. A significant factor in having impressive service is of course staff training. Service with a smile, being hospitable to every group of passengers, can attract tourists to revisit Thailand.  In 2000, 47.72% of Thailand’s total tourists re-used the airline they had used on their first trip rather than using another airline they had never used before.


- Seasonal flight schedules can be implemented and adjusted according to climates in each country. Such a move would facilitate activities without wasted time or unnecessary waiting periods and delayed appointments. Business people prefer to manage their time effectively, because it is capital in their business. Consequently, airlines should adapt schedules to fit in with the seasons


- Because of their long-haul journey, tourists feel fatigued and prefer to reach their accommodation without unnecessary time wasting. Good cooperation and planning between flight attendants and ground staff to give passengers a baggage claim service within 10 minutes of their arrival should be considered. This is a good opportunity to build up an airline’s reputation so that other people will use that airline’s services in the future.
These are just a few examples of aviation policies that should be implemented to support tourism.


Initiating rules that enhance free competition in aviation markets, and issuing laws to prevent monopoly are also recommended. Aviation policies need to support the country’s other economic activities as well such as air transportation in the import and export sectors.

Social security for small businesses - losses and gains
Professor Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak
Executive Director, Institute of Future Studies for Development (IFD)
kriengsak@kriengsak.com, http://www.ifd.or.th

Kriengsak Chareonwongsak the expansion of tourism

Aviation policy should support the expansion of tourism to meet set goals and since the aviation industry has the potential to bring in a high income, I suggest three ways to enable it to support tourism:

The first recommendation involves the granting of more aviation rights to the main scenic attractions for tourist groups from around the world. So far as policies on aviation rights is concerned, the State should provide more than the 30% currently allowed. Thailand should focus its tourist efforts on the main tourist target group as well as other newer tourist sectors, such as the middle class and those with high purchasing power. China, for example, has about 300 million middle class people. More aviation routes can be opened up to major Chinese cities to facilitate transport to Thailand. The Chinese have high purchasing power and prefer traveling in Asian regions. Thailand has good relations with China and with co-operation it is possible to welcome more Chinese tourists to the country.

New aviation routes need to be opened up as direct routes save time and costs, thereby enabling airline businesses to meet the cost of each flight. The State should be encouraged to establish a tourism office in different countries and to disseminate advertisements to specific tourist groups so that the number of tourists are sufficient to fill each flight thereby earning the airlines ample income.

Secondly, an airfare price differentiation rate should be set for different consumer groups travelling to the same destination, since each group has different purchasing power. For instance, price discrimination for a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai can be made according to different groupings, such as children, students, the handicapped, disadvantaged, farmers, company staff, civil servants, business people, and politicians.

Price discrimination will increase the choices for service users while at the same time it provides airlines with another means of income growth not airfare price hikes only. Price adjusting and increases can detrimentally affect a passenger’s decision to fly. Moreover, price discrimination helps distribute the burdens of those with a low ability to pay to those with a higher ability to pay.

Besides price discrimination, prices can also be set in terms of purchasing practices, such as if purchasing two adult tickets, a free ticket will be given for a child, or if ten tickets have been purchased, one free ticket can be provided. Various forms of positive price discrimination can increase the demand on an airline’s service. Such a system can also attract Thais to use more air transportation.