The Thai government plans to offer free domestic flight tickets to 200,000 foreign tourists between September and November this year, hoping to stimulate tourism in secondary cities. The plan is still awaiting cabinet approval.
Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sorawee, stated that foreign tourists holding international tickets can apply for a free round-trip domestic airfare, which includes a 20kg checked baggage allowance.
He said the relevant plan will be submitted to the cabinet for approval as early as this week.
He stated that the six airlines providing the service include Thai Airways International, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air, and Thai Vietjet Air. When tourists book international flights directly with airlines or online travel agencies, they will be offered free domestic tickets.
He pointed out that each tourist can receive a subsidy of up to 3,500 baht (about 457 ringgit) for a round-trip ticket, with the Thai government’s total budget set at 700 million baht, aiming to generate 8.8 billion baht in revenue.
The detailed plan is still pending official announcement.