Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently warmly welcomed the launch of Air France's first direct flight route between Paris and Phuket. The launch of this route is not only a significant achievement in TAT's "Focus on Aviation" strategy for expanding its long-haul network, but also foreshadows a substantial increase in high-quality French tourists visiting Thailand. It is understood that Air France flight AF156 departs Paris at 15:50 on November 27th and arrives in Phuket at 09:25 the following day.
The welcoming ceremony for the route's launch was hosted by Jean-Claude Pombove, French Ambassador to Thailand. Surada Saruthiravan, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for Europe, Femke Crozier, General Manager of Air France for Southeast Asia and Oceania, and representatives from the public and private sectors of Phuket's tourism industry were also present.
At the ceremony, Surada stated that TAT will continue to deepen its cooperation with major airlines such as Air France, activating long-haul travel demand through the "Focus on Aviation" strategy and strengthening Thailand's access to key source markets. She emphasized that France is one of Thailand's most resilient long-haul source countries, with a stable base of repeat customers and a continuous increase in the number of high-end tourists. The direct Paris-Phuket route will help TAT consolidate its market growth momentum and further expand its high-end customer base.
Surada pointed out that Phuket, as a top tourist destination in southern Thailand, boasts high-quality tourism products, wellness experiences, yachting activities, and world-class seascapes, perfectly meeting the needs of French tourists for high-quality travel. The direct flight service will not only attract European tourists but also help Thailand solidify its position in the field of sustainable experiential tourism.
Kroeser stated that Air France's launch of the Paris-Phuket winter route is a key step in connecting two major global destinations, making Phuket Air France's second winter gateway city in Thailand. She pledged that Air France will operate the route using Boeing 777-200 aircraft (328 seats), providing French tourists with a convenient and safe travel option. The route will operate three times a week until the end of March 2026. In addition, Air France will maintain two daily flights between Paris and Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport throughout the year. To expand its market influence, TAT has partnered with Air France to launch the "Air France Digital Marketing Campaign – Inspirational Gold Package," leveraging Air France's digital platform to enhance Thailand's brand awareness in the French market. Data shows that from January 1st to November 30th, 2025, Thailand received 727,578 French tourists, a year-on-year increase of 13.51%. A large proportion of these tourists were first-time visitors, primarily independent travelers, with an average spending of 58,611 baht per person and an average stay of 17.22 days. Popular destinations included Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, and Surat Thani. Thailand projects receiving 846,000 French tourists by the end of 2025.
