Thailand cut its forecast to 33 million international visitors, down from 39 million at the start of 2025. The Tourism and Sports Ministry of Thailand now plans to offer free domestic flight tickets to 200,000 foreign Tourists to boost tourism nationwide over a three-month period.
The free flights are the latest attempt to revive an industry that has been the country’s economic engine for decades. Recent violent incidents in Bangkok have made headlines, while the border flare-up with Cambodia last month further dented Thailand’s image as a safe, carefree destination.
The free tickets promised by the government will then be offered to vacationers who booked directly with these airlines, or through travel agency websites. They will only apply to domestic flights, as the campaign aims to make certain local provinces more touristy.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said the campaign was themed “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights”, and would encourage foreign tourists to visit secondary destinations and UNESCO cities.
The campaign, dubbed ‘Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights,’ would allow eligible foreign tourists to claim a free round-trip flight within the country when booking international flights directly through airlines or travel agencies.
Japan had used a similar strategy, providing free domestic seats to tourists, earlier this year.
He said foreigners holding an international flight ticket would be able to claim one round-trip domestic flight ticket with 20 kilogrammes of baggage for free on six Thai carriers - Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet.
The free tickets would be offered when tourists book international flights directly with airlines or online travel agents.
"This is an exclusive campaign for foreign visitors who haven’t yet booked a ticket," said Mr Sorawong.
The ministry plans to propose the scheme to the cabinet for approval next week, seeking 700 million baht from the central budget, he said.
The programme is scheduled to run from September to November, with a government subsidy of 1,750 baht per one-way ticket, or 3,500 baht for a round-trip ticket, for each tourist.
The government would subsidise up to THB 1,750 (€40) for a one-way ticket or THB 3,500 (€80) for a round-trip. Each ticket would also come with 20kg of checked baggage.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports predicts that the initiative, which has yet to be finally approved by the government, will generate 8.8 billion baht in revenue (nearly 235 million euros), and would have an estimated cost of 700 million baht (around 18.5 million euros).
According to the Bangkok Post, Rungroj Santadvanit, president of the lower northeastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association, said northeastern provinces may not benefit as much from this scheme, as they are not top destinations for foreign tourists, even though Buri Ram and Ubon Ratchathani have domestic flights from Bangkok.
Apart from free flights, Mr Rungroj said authorities should plan marketing strategies and activities tailored to target markets of each location.
“More importantly, the government must ensure tourism safety and clearly communicate which areas are safe to visit, especially amid the ongoing Thailand-Cambodia border tensions,” said Mr Rungroj.
The Thai government has rolled out other attractions as well, delaying entry fees, lifting visa restrictions for Chinese tourists, Thailand’s largest market, and creating digital nomad visas to attract remote workers.
So far, 20.8 million international arrivals have been recorded, a 7 per cent drop from last year. The largest market was China with 2.9 million arrivals.
