Tourism Authority of Thailand Reports Domestic Travel Slowdown During Labor Day-Coronation Day Holiday as Thais Grapple with Rising Cost of Living
Domestic travel during Thailand's Labor Day-Coronation Day holiday slowed as rising living costs made Thai tourists more budget-conscious, with the Tourism Authority forecasting 2.83 million visits generating 10.05 billion baht in revenue.
On May 3, 2025, Tapanee Kiatyipbool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed that domestic travel during the Labor Day and Coronation Day holiday period (May 1-4, 2025) is expected to slow due to pressure from rising energy and living costs. This has prompted Thai travelers to be more budget-conscious and adjust their travel behavior, especially following recent Songkran festival spending. The TAT forecasts 2.83 million domestic visits generating approximately 10.05 billion baht in revenue, with an average hotel occupancy rate of 64 percent, of which 39 percent is from Thai tourists.
The top five regions by visitor numbers are Central Region (843,700 visits), Eastern Region (619,500 visits), Northeast Region (558,300 visits), Northern Region (306,400 visits), and Southern Region (279,600 visits). By revenue, the Eastern Region leads with 2.71 billion baht, followed by Central Region (1.93 billion baht), Southern Region (1.69 billion baht), Bangkok (1.35 billion baht), and Northeast Region (1.25 billion baht).
The most popular destinations are Kanchanaburi, Chachoengsao, Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Sa Kaeo. Popular secondary destinations include Suphan Buri, Udon Thani, Chanthaburi, Ratchaburi, and Chiang Rai. Tapanee noted that travelers are predominantly choosing short-distance trips to take families on holiday before the school year begins, preferring convenient destinations with minimal travel time and costs.
According to the Thai Tourism Industry Council's Q1/2025 travel survey, 16-28 percent of Thais plan to travel during this holiday period. Most choose to travel within their own province or nearby provinces rather than across regions, with 12-20 percent planning same-day trips within their province or neighboring areas, 2-6 percent planning overnight trips to nearby provinces, and only 2 percent planning inter-regional travel.
Tapanee identified two main factors influencing domestic travel during this holiday: the extended consecutive days off encouraging travel, particularly for families taking children during school breaks, and various tourism promotion activities organized by TAT and partners, including government and private sector initiatives such as food festivals along the Amphawa Canal at Nang Wang Temple in Samut Songkhram (May 1-3).
