Thai AirAsia pushes Phuket

An executive of the budget airline said daily flights between the two cities would use new A320s, scheduled for delivery in June.

Phuket will be given more links with major destinations in Thailand and neighbouring countries.

"We will beat rivals Silk Air of Singapore and Dragon Air of Hong Kong," the executive said. The number of tourists from Hong Kong to Phuket has been increasing as tourism recovers.

Phuket is crowded with tourists, and Thai AirAsia usually has full cabins.

Tassapon Bijleveld, chief executive officer, said the company was eyeing emerging markets such as China and India and planned to add flights to second-tier cities there.

Tassapon said average load factor during the first two months had reached 78 per cent, up from 76 per cent in the same period last year, showing a tourism rebound after numbers sharply dropped due to airport closures in November and early December.