The “Thai Travel Plus” stimulus scheme will be submitted to the cabinet for approval on Sept 22, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Pancharoenworakul said, adding that it is expected to generate 20 billion baht in economic activity.
Mr Surasak said the scheme is aimed at supporting domestic tourism and boosting the economy from the fourth quarter of this year through the first quarter of 2027. Eligible participants will receive a subsidy of up to 2,000 baht for hotel accommodation, he said.
The scheme will also provide coupons worth 1,500 baht per participant for use in major tourist cities and 2,000 baht in secondary cities. Spending will follow a co-payment model, with costs shared between travellers and the government.
The coupons can be used at restaurants, spas, souvenir shops and massage outlets, as well as for travel activities such as diving and boating.
In the first phase, one million entitlements will be offered, with each person allowed to use up to five. Registration will open in October before the programme begins in November. The scheme will run until Dec 15, suspend for one month, then resume on Jan 16, 2027, and continue until Feb 28, 2027.
Mr Surasak said the scheme is expected to be considered at the Sept 22 cabinet meeting and will use a budget of 4 billion baht from loan funding. It is expected to generate more than 20 billion baht in economic circulation.
Asked whether measures would be introduced to prevent tourism operators from raising prices during the scheme, Mr Surasak said the Finance Ministry had designed a system to curb accommodation price increases.
Under a previous tourism incentive programme, which provided lump-sum subsidies of up to 3,000 baht per entitlement, complaints were received about price increases.
About 1,000 tourism operators have since been blacklisted from participating in the programme.