Bangkok: The "Thai Travel Plus" initiative, initially slated for November 2026, is now set to be postponed to the low season in April 2027. This decision aims to prevent an overlap with the "Thai Helps Thai Plus" program, as revealed by the Minister of Tourism and Sports. Additional discussions with the private sector are scheduled before the matter is presented at the Cabinet meeting.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Surasak Panjaroenvorakul, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, announced that the "Thai Travel Plus" program, designed to boost domestic tourism, is likely to be delayed from its original start date of October 1, 2026, to the low season, beginning in April. The decision follows discussions at the Cabinet level, where it was agreed that a tourism stimulus project is necessary, but there were disputes over the timing.
Mr. Surasak explained that deploying funds during the peak tourist season, from the end of this year to the start of next year, would be inappropriate due to high tourist traffic and fully booked hotels. He argued that spending during this period would not effectively stimulate the economy and could lead to wastage of allocated resources.
The "Thai Travel Plus" project has a budget allocation of 4 billion baht, offering 1 million entitlements. The government plans to subsidize accommodation costs at 1,500 baht per night for up to 5 nights and provide digital coupons with a 50/50 co-payment ratio, amounting to 1,500 baht per day for major cities and 2,000 baht per day for secondary cities. Although the principles, conditions, and budget framework have been initially approved, the original travel period includes a blackout period to avoid overlap with the New Year's holiday from December 15, 2026, to January 15, 2027. Mr. Surasak expressed concerns that starting the project in a fragmented manner could attract criticism over the continuity of tourism stimulus.
Despite the postponement, some businesses still advocate for economic stimulus during the high season. Consequently, further consultations with the private sector are planned to finalize the project's details and timeline. Once resolved, the proposal will be presented to the Cabinet for approval and official implementation.