Onyx Hospitality Group is increasing its engagement with the Russia and CIS travel trade following a September sales mission to Moscow, St Petersburg and Minsk, as air links between Belarus and Thailand increase.
The mission marked the group’s first sales visit to Belarus and included networking sessions and meetings with tour operators and other travel partners. Discussions covered demand for Thailand and Onyx’s hotel portfolio across the country.
The Belarus market is gaining attention ahead of new scheduled services by Belavia – Belarusian Airlines. From late October 2026, the carrier is expected to move from charter operations to regular non-stop services from Minsk to Bangkok and Phuket.
According to Tourism Authority of Thailand figures cited by Onyx, annual arrivals from Belarus to Thailand have exceeded 20,000, with the market expected to surpass 36,000 visitors.
Russia, meanwhile, ranks among Onyx’s five largest international source markets. The group said business from Russia has increased by approximately 13 per cent year on year.
Five properties participated in the sales mission: Amari Phuket, Ozo Chaweng Samui, Oriental Residence Bangkok, Amari Pattaya and Ozo North Pattaya. The hotels represented destinations including Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya.
Onyx said the meetings in Belarus also generated interest among travel partners in future familiarisation trips to Thailand, as direct air access between the two countries increases.
The sales mission forms part of the group’s approach to maintaining relationships in established source markets while developing trade contacts in markets with growing travel demand.
