KRABI WELCOMES QATAR AIRWAYS’ INAUGURAL FLIGHT
Alami news : Qatar Airways becomes the first Middle Eastern airline to serve the popular beach destination of Krabi New service provides another convenient travel option to Southern Thailand’s tourism gateway
6 December 2016 / The coastal gateway of Krabi, Thailand, today welcomed the first Qatar Airways flight to arrive at its international airport from Doha, Qatar. The Airbus A330-200 was greeted by a celebratory water cannon salute to officiate the new four times weekly service to Southern Thailand’s west coast. On board the inaugural flight was Qatar Airways Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific, Mr. Marwan Koleilat, and the Thai Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Mr. Soonthorn Chaiyindeepum.
With the launch of this new service Qatar Airways has become the first Middle Eastern airline to provide scheduled services to Krabi, providing fast and convenient access to one of the world’s most popular tourism regions. Travellers can now enjoy year-round services to the incredible islands of Phi Phi National Park, while also enjoying other cultural experiences in the Southern Thai province famous for stunning land and seascapes, world-class diving, national parks and eco-tours.
Qatar Airways Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific, Mr. Marwan Koleilat, said: “I am delighted to be able to inaugurate the first service to Krabi, providing travellers from key markets with direct access to Krabi and the doorstep to the region’s tourism hot spots – undeniably some of the most popular and sought after travel destinations in the world. Thailand remains an important market for Qatar Airways as we continue to explore key secondary destinations to better serve the global traveller whose desire for greater flexibility and ease of travel can be met by our expanding Thailand coverage. Guests can now enjoy Qatar Airways award winning service on-board one of the youngest fleets in the industry when we fly together to Krabi, Thailand.
“Additionally, the new service to Krabi opens up a host of convenient global destinations for the people of Krabi and its region and I’d like to thank the Thai people for their continued support over the last 20 years,” Mr. Koleilat added.
The Southern Thai region of Krabi is a province of stunning natural beauty, with towering limestone formations hugging a myriad of tropical beaches. The area is home to the famous Tiger Cave Temple, Railay Beach. Ko Poda, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park and Ko Lanta Yai; combining to attract a considerable number of sun and thrill-seeking tourists every year.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor, Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, said: “ We wish to express our warmest welcome to Qatar Airways and its new route between Krabi and Doha. Thanks to the new route launch; Thailand now has even better connections to the world. As we are all aware, Krabi is one of Thailand’s most iconic regions that lie facing the Andaman Sea on the South-Western coast – rich with pearly beaches, translucent waters, coral reefs, waterfalls and natural caves. Last year, Thailand received more than 39,000 tourists from Qatar and with this new route, we expect more tourist arrivals in the years ahead. This new route also provides great connectivity for travellers coming from other parts of the GCC, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.”
Krabi becomes the third strategic destination in Thailand that Qatar Airways serves, following the inaugural service to Bangkok in 1996. Qatar Airways launched services to Phuket in 2010 and has firm plans to begin services to Chiang Mai in 2017.
Qatar Airways, the national airline of the state of the Qatar, is one of the fastest growing airlines in aviation history, connecting global travellers to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. Travellers will enjoy a quick and convenient transfer at the airline’s state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha.
In addition to inaugural service to Krabi, Qatar Airways continues to expand its global reach. In 2016 alone, Qatar Airways also launched services to Adelaide (Australia), Atlanta (USA), Birmingham (UK), Boston (USA), Helsinki, (Finland), Los Angeles (USA), Marrakech (Morocco), Pisa (Italy), Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Sydney (Australia), Windhoek (Namibia) and Yerevan (Armenia). Services to Seychelles will follow later in the year.
