Reprinted to China Times News Network

Tainan Mayor Huang Weizhe (middle) welcomes passengers on the first charter flight from Thailand. (Photo by Cao Tingting)

A total of 188 passengers from Thailand's first charter flight arrived at Tainan Airport this morning. Tainan Mayor Huang Weizhe and other people from all walks of life in Tainan came to greet them, and the scene was lively. (Photo by Cao Tingting)

On the first day of the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, Tainan Airport welcomed 188 passengers on the first charter flight from Thailand. This was the first time after Vietjet canceled its October flight last year that international tourists arrived at Tainan Airport after a half-year hiatus. Mayor Huang Weizhe not only greeted him personally, Later, he also flew 174 tourists from Tainan to Chiang Mai. He said that Thailand is a big tourist country and he hopes to take this opportunity to communicate with Thailand and promote tourism in Tainan and Thailand.

The Tourism and Tourism Bureau pointed out that in order to activate international tourism in Tainan, with the efforts of the city government and various tourism-related industries, it successively promoted direct charter flights of "Tainan-Sendai" in April last year and "Tainan-Da Nang, Vietnam" in August. Today we welcomed another For the "Tainan-Thailand" direct charter flight, Mayor Huang Weizhe, Tainan Airport Director Yang Yirui, Director of Tourism and Tourism Lin Guohua, City Councilors Lin Meiyan, Guo Hongyi, Thai Lion Air and other units were present to welcome the tourists on the first flight from Thailand on behalf of Tainan citizens and send their greetings. A welcome gift was given to commemorate the first flight, and the scene was grand and lively.

Tainan City Government Tourism Director Lin Guohua said that direct charter flights between Tainan and Thailand are initially planned until October, with a total of 6 flights. Tainan Airport is a second-tier airport, mainly through charter flights, scheduled charter flights and then scheduled flights. Routes in the two cities will gradually promote the operation of fixed routes.

He said that through the establishment of platforms through travel agencies in Tainan and Thailand, and adopting the "both sides send passengers" model, for this first flight, 174 people from Tainan went to Chiang Mai and 188 people from Thailand, maintaining a stable source of tourists from both parties. Only in this way can operating costs be reduced and the popularity and economic benefits of scheduled charter flights maintained.

City Councilor Lin Meiyan said that it is a pity that Tainan is an international airport but does not have international flights. "If you start, don't end." She hopes that today's first flights to Thailand and Tainan will continue, and she also hopes that Vietjet can resume flights as scheduled in the second half of the year. She mentioned that Tainan’s food and accommodation have a good reputation and are recognized internationally. The Tainan City Government should create more incentives to attract more international tourists to travel to Tainan.

The Tourism Bureau said that in 2023, there will be about 400,000 tourists from Thailand to Taiwan, which has returned to the pre-epidemic tourism scale. Tainan Chikan Tower, Anping Castle, Confucius Temple, etc., many international tourists come to make pilgrimages every year. We look forward to using this This direct charter flight introduces these famous attractions to Thai tourists.

China Times News Network Link:https://www.chinatimes.com/realtimenews/20240404001330-260405?chdtv