Thailand's Tourism and Sports Ministry has proposed offering free domestic flight tickets to 200,000 foreign tourists in a bid to boost visitor numbers during the low season. The initiative, named 'Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights', would allow international arrivals to claim one round-trip domestic flight with 20kg of baggage at no extra cost.
The scheme, which still requires cabinet approval, is expected to generate 8.8 billion baht (£200 million) in revenue from a budget of 700 million baht (£15.9 million). If approved, it would run from September to November and be valid on six Thai carriers: Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said the initiative aims to attract at least 200,000 foreign tourists, focusing on Unesco-designated cities and popular destinations nationwide. The free tickets would be offered when tourists book international flights directly with airlines or through online travel agents.
Thailand welcomed 35 million foreign tourists in 2024 and aims to return to pre-pandemic levels of around 40 million in 2025. However, as of mid-August, only 20.8 million tourists had visited this year, a 7% year-on-year decrease. Chinese tourists remain the largest group, with 2.9 million arrivals.
The proposal follows a similar scheme by Japan Airlines, which offers complimentary domestic flights to certain international passengers. Thailand hopes the initiative will encourage visitors to explore more of the country, distributing tourism revenue more widely.
