The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is gearing up for the launch, tentatively on October 1, of the first phase of the ‘Thai Tiew Thai Plus’ program, aimed at boosting domestic tourism.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said that the scheme is now being studied in detail by the National Economic and Social Development Council, before it is finalised by the Cabinet.
He said that 1.75 billion baht will be used to fund the first phase of the program, adding that, if it is successful, a second phase would be considered.
The domestic tourism promotion program, available to Thais only, is expected to generate at least 5 billion baht in revolving revenue for the tourism-related sector, which is, as a whole, being negatively affected by the conflict in the Middle East which has driven up global oil prices and the cost of air travel.
Under the nationwide ‘Thai Tiew Thai Plus’ scheme, the government will subsidise half of the accommodation expense, but not exceeding 3,000 baht per ‘entitlement’, plus a 500-baht digital coupon to cover food, travel and other expenses.
Air travellers will each receive a 400-baht taxpayer-funded subsidy to cover their air fare per trip for travel to primary cities and 600 baht for travel to secondary cities. Bookings must made with airlines which join the program.
Meanwhile, Surasak said that foreign tourist arrivals during the first eight months of this year have dropped 2-3% year-on-year, although it is anticipated that arrivals will rebound in the last quarter, adding that, for the whole year, tourist arrivals are forecast to reach over 33 million.
