BANGKOK – The Tourism and Sports Ministry has announced plans to provide 200,000 free domestic flight tickets to foreign tourists over three months. The initiative aims to increase travel across Thailand and is awaiting cabinet approval.
The ministry expects this offer to boost tourism income by about 8.8 billion baht, with a working budget of 700 million baht. Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong shared that the campaign, called “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights”, hopes to attract travellers to explore less-visited cities.
Japan ran a similar promotion earlier in the year, offering tourists complimentary flights within the country.
Foreign visitors with international flight bookings will be eligible for one free round-trip domestic flight, including 20 kilograms of luggage, with any of six participating Thai airlines: Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet.
These free flights will be available when travellers book their international trips through airlines or online agencies. “This campaign is only available to international guests who haven’t already booked their tickets,” said Mr Sorawong.
Enhancing Thailand’s Tourism
The ministry is planning to present the proposal to the cabinet for approval soon, requesting 700 million baht from the central budget. If passed, the programme will run from September to November and give a subsidy of 1,750 baht for a one-way ticket or 3,500 baht for a round-trip.
Punlop Saejew, vice-president of the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce, believes this move will benefit tourism, though he pointed out that visitor numbers are already strong during peak season. He suggested the campaign could have a bigger impact during slower travel months.
Mr Punlop also advised the government to direct funding towards reducing domestic airfares, as high prices still keep many people from travelling.
Rungroj Santadvanit, president of the lower northeastern branch of the Thai Hotels Association, noted that areas in the northeast might not see much benefit from the scheme, since these provinces attract fewer international visitors.
Even with flights connecting places like Buri Ram and Ubon Ratchathani to Bangkok, they still lag behind more popular destinations.
Mr Rungroj recommended that, alongside free tickets, the authorities should create marketing plans and events tailored to different regions. For example, Buri Ram could focus on sports events and marathons, establishing itself as a hub for sports tourism, while Ubon Ratchathani might draw interest through attractions along the Mekong River.
He pointed out that the North has the potential to appeal to nature-loving tourists from Australia and New Zealand, while southern provinces could attract sunseekers from Scandinavia.
He also stressed that travellers must feel safe and know which areas are safe to visit, mentioning recent border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
As of 17 August, Thailand has welcomed 20.8 million international arrivals this year, showing a 7% drop compared to last year. China remained the largest source market with 2.9 million visitors.
