Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) - On December 4, 2025, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) officially announced the successful launch of three inaugural routes from Japan to Bangkok, jointly operated by Thai AirAsia X and Thai Lion Air. The launch of these new routes marks a significant step forward in air connectivity between Thailand and Japan, significantly expanding Thailand's short-haul transportation network and injecting strong momentum into year-end travel demand from Japan to Thailand. As Japan is one of Thailand's most valuable international source markets, the opening of these new routes is expected to further unleash the potential of this market.
Ms. Pattaranong Na Chiang Mai, Deputy Director of International Marketing for Asia and the South Pacific at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), stated, “The launch of the three new routes to Sendai, Hokkaido, and Osaka fully demonstrates our airline partners’ strong confidence in the future of the Thai tourism market. Expanding air travel channels is a key strategy for maintaining the continued growth of Japanese tourist numbers. The TAT will continue to deepen its cooperation with airlines and fully promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry. Currently, the younger generation of Japanese tourists has an increasingly strong interest in traveling to Thailand, and Thailand is fully capable of accurately matching today's ever-changing travel preferences and providing them with high-quality travel experiences.”
As a core source country for inbound tourism to Thailand, the Japanese market has consistently brought stable and strong revenue to the Thai tourism industry, with tourism demand remaining robust throughout the year. To further consolidate its market advantages, the TAT is implementing a two-track market strategy: on the one hand, it is making every effort to maintain its existing core customer base to ensure a stable customer base; on the other hand, it is focusing on expanding new customer groups, especially targeting millennials and Generation Z tourists visiting Thailand for the first time. Strengthening cooperation with airlines and increasing flight capacity are core measures of this strategy, which will help Thailand continue to solidify its position as a top travel destination for Japanese tourists.
Regarding specific route operations, Thai AirAsia X launched its Sendai-Bangkok route on December 1, 2025, operating four flights per week. Notably, the inaugural flight carried over 100 young soccer players from the Tohoku region of Japan, who will participate in a series of matches and training activities in Bangkok. This arrival coincides with the launch of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's "Enjoy Training in Thailand" program, which aims to establish Thailand as a year-round warm training destination for Japanese youth athletes and coaches. Key components include joint promotions with partner sports clubs and regular training camps in Thailand, helping to enhance Thailand's international image as a world-class sports training base.
Meanwhile, Thai Lion Air is also simultaneously expanding its route network: launching the Hokkaido-Bangkok route on December 1, 2025, operating three flights per week; and adding the Osaka-Bangkok route on December 2, operating four flights per week. The successive launches of these two routes further strengthen air connections between major Japanese cities and Thailand, providing tourists with more travel options.
Data shows that from January 1st to November 30th, 2025, Thailand received 985,612 Japanese tourists, a year-on-year increase of 4.16%. In terms of travel characteristics, independent travel was the mainstream mode, with tourists spending an average of 39,000 baht per trip and staying an average of 6.04 days. Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai were the most popular destinations for Japanese tourists. The current sustained growth in market demand provides a solid foundation for Thailand to achieve its goal of receiving over 1 million Japanese tourists by the end of 2025.
