Thailand Tourism Ministry Delays Domestic Travel Subsidy to April 2025
Thailand's domestic travel subsidy program will launch in April 2025 instead of October, allowing the 4-billion-baht initiative to target the low season when stimulus can have greater economic impact.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Pancharoenworrakul revealed on September 16 that the Thailand Travel Plus programme, designed to encourage domestic travel, will now launch in April 2025 instead of October 1, 2024. The shift aligns with the low season rather than the high season that runs from late this year through early 2025, when tourists already travel extensively and hotels operate at full occupancy. The cabinet and other ministers agreed that while tourism stimulus is necessary, injecting budget during peak season would waste funds and produce minimal economic benefit.
The project allocates 4 billion baht for one million travel subsidies. The government will cover accommodation at 1,500 baht per night for up to five nights, plus digital coupons shared 50–50 between travellers and the state, at 1,500 baht daily for major cities and 2,000 baht for secondary destinations. Officials originally planned a fragmented rollout from November 2024 through February 2025 with a blackout period over New Year (December 15, 2024 – January 15, 2025), but concluded a single consolidated launch would be more effective.
Minister Surasak confirmed that the 4-billion-baht budget has been reserved and carved from an initial government borrowing decree of 400 billion baht. He noted that October through December will see stimulus from an extended Thailand Helps Thailand Plus scheme instead, which will prime public spending for two to three months before the new tourism programme begins. Private-sector surveys, particularly from hoteliers, support the postponement, as they confirmed that high-season promotions offer no added benefit when rooms are already booked and travellers have planned trips in advance.
