European Flight Connections with the Main Tourist Regions of Southeast Asia

Abstract

Transport plays a key role in satisfying the needs associated with tourist activity, both in regard to actually reaching one’s destination as well as in regard to local transport in the area visited. East Asia and the Pacific is the most dynamically developing market of inbound tourism in the world. Between 2000-2008, international tourist arrivals increased by 67.2% (74 mln). The subregion of Southeast Asia was visited by 70.9% (36.1 mln) more tourists than 8 years before. Malaysia is the most frequently visited country in the region, with 22.1 mln international arrivals in 2008, compared to 14.6 mln in Thailand and 7.8 mln in Singapore. Thailand has the largest influx of tourists followed by Malaysia. It is predicted that the importance of tourism in the region will continue to grow in the future. The percentage of international tourist arrivals to East Asia and the Pacific will have increased to 25% by 2020. The key factor in the region is its accessibility as regards transport links, a factor which explains the rapid development of its airports, including the largest ones of Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The present flight schedule (winter season 2009) has 338 connections between those cities and Europe, mostly from Bangkok (177). Singapore has 113 connections weekly with Europe while Kuala Lumpur only 48. None of these airports has regular connections with Polish airports except charter flights operated by Air Italy from Warsaw to Bangkok and connections under code share agreements.