Dreaming of Thailand’s white sands, fragrant street food and lush jungle escapes? The Land of Smiles is looking to sweeten the deal for travellers with a bold new plan: free domestic flights for international visitors.
Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island, Thailand/Humphrey M/Unsplash
If approved by the cabinet, the campaign – “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights” – will run from September to November 2025, giving 200,000 foreign tourists a free round-trip flight within Thailand when they book their international flights through participating airlines or agencies.
Six local carriers, including Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways, are already on board, as previously reported by Euro News.
What’s included?
- The government will subsidise up to THB 3,500 (around R1,900) for a return flight.
- Each ticket comes with 20kg of checked baggage.
- Only travellers arriving by air will qualify (bus and boat entries won’t count).
- Existing bookings made before the programme launches won’t be eligible.
Why free flights?
Thailand wants tourists to go beyond well-worn favourites like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai and venture into lesser-visited provinces packed with temples, authentic cuisine, and quieter beaches. The tourism ministry hopes the promotion will generate THB 8.8 billion (about R4.1 billion) in revenue from a THB 700 million budget.
Tourism struggles continue
The move comes as Thailand’s tourism industry battles to regain its pre-pandemic stride. Nearly 40 million visitors arrived in 2019, but the country is now expected to welcome only 33 million in 2025, short of its original 39 million target. Safety concerns and regional tensions have also dented its image.
To draw travellers back, the government has delayed entry fees, lifted visa restrictions for Chinese visitors, launched digital nomad visas – and even floated the idea of casinos. The free-flight campaign may be its most attention-grabbing move yet.
For now, those eyeing Thailand should keep an eye on official announcements before locking in their travel dates.
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