First flight from London to Bangkok: Norse Atlantic takes off!

First flight from London to Bangkok: Norse Atlantic takes off!

On October 27, 2025, Bangkok welcomed Norse Atlantic Airways' inaugural flight from London-Gatwick, opening a new chapter for the Thai tourism sector. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) celebrated this special occasion with a traditional ceremony at Suvarnabhumi Airport, where arrivals were welcomed with souvenirs by TAT representatives and Airports of Thailand staff. This new route is part of the 2025/2026 winter flight schedule and will include a total of 99 flights until April 12, 2026. At the start of the new connection there will be two to three flights per week, which will increase to four to five from December.

The use of the modern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which has a capacity of 338 passengers, also promises a comfortable travel experience. As Ms. Suladda Sarutilavan, Director of TAT Europe, emphasized, the new connections reflect the success of TAT's strategy for long-haul markets. With a clear focus on increasing tourism from the UK, TAT and Norse Atlantic Airways will run targeted marketing campaigns from September to November 2025.

Marketing offensive for winter tourism

Marketing initiatives include social media competitions and digital advertising on platforms such as Expedia and Skyscanner, highlighting Thailand's diverse attractions. The aim is to bring a total of 1.13 million travelers from the UK to Thailand by the end of 2025, which is expected to generate revenue of about 70.46 billion baht. The UK is one of the top ten sources of international arrivals to Thailand and the return of British tourists is hugely important to the local economy. Between January and October 2025, over 805,000 visitors from the UK have already been welcomed, an increase of 13.2 percent compared to the previous year.

What's more, Condé Nast Traveler UK's 2025 Readers' Choice Awards show that Thailand is highly popular with British tourists, with numerous nominations in categories such as best Asian islands and world-class luxury spas. The Thai dream islands such as Ko Lanta, Ko Chang, Phuket and Ko Samui are particularly popular.

Sustainability as a future-oriented strategy

Beyond the current celebrations, the Thai government is striving to move away from mass tourism and focus on sustainable tourism practices. In recent years there have been challenges such as overcrowding and environmental damage, leading to the closure of attractions such as Maya Bay. In the future, high-quality, responsible travel experiences that support the preservation of nature and culture should be promoted.

With the help of infrastructure investments and targeted marketing efforts, Thailand will aim to revitalize tourism as a key economic driver after the pandemic hit the country hard. There are expected to be 35 million international tourists by 2024. In order to get closer to these goals, support for medical and wellness tourism is also being promoted.

Norse Atlantic Airways' new flights are therefore not only a sign of growth in the tourism sector, but also part of a broader strategy aimed at long-term and sustainable developments. Thailand is poised to maintain its position as a popular travel destination in Asia while offering responsible tourism experiences.

For more information on this topic you can read the article at Thailand Business News, TAT News and Thailand Magazine read.