Bangkok: THAI Smile, a fully owned subsidiary of Thai International Airways, is going to launch direct flight services on Ahmedabad-Bangkok route on October 28. The move comes to cash in on growing visitor numbers.

Ahmedabad is going to be the airline's seventh route in India. The route is scheduled to have four flights a week.

Charita Leelayudth, Chief Executive of THAI Smile said that the airline is expanding routes to India and offers 38 weekly flights to seven cities: Gaya, Varanasi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

“We have enjoyed growth of both inbound and outbound passengers, leading to an increased cabin factor on every route,” Charita said. “In some periods this year, the number rose to more than 85 per cent. Overall, THAI Smile has seen growth of around 20 per cent on Indian routes, reflecting more Indian arrivals in Thailand.”

The Tourism and Sports Ministry said 1.31 million Indians visited Thailand in the first eight months of this year, up 25.4 per cent year-on-year. With the strong pace, arrivals are projected to reach 2 million this year, up from 1.6m in 2018.