Thailand launches $765m domestic travel scheme to revive tourism sector

Thailand's government has unveiled an ambitious domestic tourism support programme to inject fresh momentum into the sector, allocating roughly $765 million for travel subsidies targeting local residents. The scheme represents a strategic pivot to bolster domestic demand at a time when international visitor numbers remain uneven across the region.

The subsidy initiative is designed to encourage Thais to travel domestically, supporting hotels, restaurants, tour operators and related service providers that have faced prolonged uncertainty due to fluctuating international arrivals. By incentivising local travel during key periods, the government hopes to stabilise revenue streams for tourism-dependent businesses and maintain employment across the sector.

The programme underscores Thailand's recognition that domestic tourism can serve as a reliable economic foundation while international travel patterns normalise. Officials have framed the investment as critical to supporting communities that depend heavily on visitor spending, particularly in secondary cities and rural destinations outside Bangkok.

The scale of the commitment reflects the tourism sector's importance to Thailand's broader economic recovery strategy. As a major employment driver and foreign exchange earner, strengthening domestic travel capacity offers policymakers a tool to sustain momentum across hospitality and related industries ahead of the anticipated return to higher international visitor volumes.