Thailand to offer 200,000 free domestic flights to foreign tourists
Think of Thailand, and you probably picture bustling Bangkok, with its milk teas, pad thais, and massages. But a Thai government agency wants to show tourists there’s more to the country by offering free domestic flights to at least 200,000 international visitors.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said that their initiative, dubbed "Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights," aims to draw foreign tourists to visit other places in the country, specifically UNESCO-designated cities, other than the major tourist spots.
“The government will support domestic flight tickets priced at 1,750 baht per one-way trip and 3,500 baht for round-trips. The initiative aims to attract at least 200,000 foreign tourists, covering destinations across Thailand, with a particular focus on Unesco-designated cities, popular tourist spots, and key destinations nationwide,” Sorawong said, per the The Straits Times.
They will also partner with six local airlines—Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Airways International (Thai), Thai Lion Air, and Thai VietJet—to carry out joint promotional campaigns to boost Thailand’s tourism industry as a contributor to economic growth.
According to the report, foreign tourists who booked standard airfare tickets going to Thailand via the airlines' websites, or directly with multi-city options from Thai and Bangkok Airways, or via fly-thru/check-through services from Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air, and Thai, or through online travel agents, are entitled to complimentary round-trip tickets for domestic flights with a 20kg luggage allowance.
Tourists may opt for two domestic flight tickets (departure and return), or a one-way ticket.
He added that they will submit the proposed move to the Cabinet next week, with a request for budget allocation of 700 million baht (over P1.2 billion) to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The proposed move is slated to run from August to December, with the travel period from September to November.
