Tourism operators in Pattaya say that the rail link connecting the three airports, regardless of its speed, remains essential for boosting traffic at U-tapao Airport, as tourism in the eastern region alone cannot attract the large number of visitors needed to fulfil the airport's planned capacity.
Meanwhile, the recent murder of two Russians in Chon Buri has yet to impact this market, as the tourism industry is now in the low season.
The long-delayed high-speed rail project linking Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi and U-tapao airports still faces uncertainty and is reportedly subject to potential changes, including the possibility that it may no longer be a high-speed rail service.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of the Chonburi Tourism Federation, said the rail project plan can be adjusted to suit the current context, but there should still be a rail system that helps link the three airports more conveniently, particularly as the Eastern Economic Corridor has already set an ambitious plan to attract up to 60 million passengers per year under its Eastern Aviation City project.
He said tourism in the region alone cannot attract such a large number of tourists and should instead serve its original purpose of easing congestion at the two main airports in Bangkok.
Mr Thanet said the tourism situation in the East during the low season remains sluggish, as long-haul travellers are reluctant to travel, even though airlines in the Middle East have resumed services.
"Travellers are losing confidence in planning their trips, particularly the 70% who usually rely on aviation hubs in the Middle East, which typically offer lower fares than direct flights from Europe. They are not confident about the fluctuating situation there. Moreover, airfares have already surged by 40% since the unrest began," he said.
Meanwhile, the number of Russian arrivals via direct charter flights to U-tapao Airport is expected to decline due to rising fuel prices.
For the upcoming high season, only two of the four Russian operators have confirmed that they will resume their charter flights, while the others have opted to cooperate with scheduled airlines bound for Bangkok instead, he said.
Given the recent murder case involving two Russian siblings in Chon Buri, which involved long-term residents rather than tourists, he said the incident has yet to affect the tourism market, with the slowdown mainly driven by other economic factors.
Mr Thanet said the Indian market is the only one that has remained unfazed by recent events, while the Chinese market, which has grown by 15-20%, has shifted from mass tour groups to individual travellers, who now account for 70% of visitors from the mainland.
He said a convenient rail network would also help expand the domestic market, which now accounts for the majority of tourists in Pattaya. However, congestion remains a problem at weekends, as most domestic tourists still do not travel on weekdays.
"Normally, June and September are the slowest months of the year, unlike July and August, when school holidays help boost the market. If the Tourism and Sports Minister can push the tourism co-payment scheme to launch next month as planned, tourism operators may not suffer as they did last June," he said.
