Thailand, a country long synonymous with sun-drenched beaches, late-night city life, and affordable options for western backpackers, has found itself with far fewer foreign visitors in the first half of 2025. It reported a significant drop in foreign arrivals, pointing to competition from nearby countries, economic pressure for travelers, and safety concerns. In light of the measurable drop, Thai officials have proposed an unconventional tactic: giving away completely free domestic flights for international travelers, provided the flights meet a few broad criteria.
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Thailand May Give Away $21 Million in Free Flights for Travelers to Explore the Country
The plan publicly proposed by Sorawong Thienthong, the country’s Tourism and Sports Minister, proposed spending 700 million Thai baht (about $21.5 million) to buy domestic flights for 200,000-plus foreign tourists. Future visitors who book flights under the program would be eligible for free and discounted tickets to domestic destinations in Thailand once they arrive in the country. It would cover both one-way and round-trip flights, maxing out at a value of $108 per traveler. Six major carriers, such as Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, and Thai AirAsia, have already agreed to participate, which would allow travelers to claim the free tickets at the time of booking their trips.
A beach in Ranong, one of Thailand’s least-populated provinces. Photo: Chutchawarn/Shutterstock
If passed, the program will have a few stipulations. It would only be live during the upcoming low season (September to November), and it wouldn’t work for connecting travelers between major cities, like Bangkok or Chaing Mai. The goal of the program, according to Thienthong, is to spread tourism spending around the country and encourage visitors to spend time in lesser-visited regions. Currently, Thailand has four airports that accept flights from the US. That includes two in Bangkok, one in Chiang Mai, and Phuket International Airport. But the country has more than two dozen destinations with commercial airports, from Nan and Chiang Rai in the north to Krabi and Trang to the south.
For decades, the majority of Thailand’s income from tourism has come from three provinces (Bangkok, Phuket, and Chonburi). The government hopes that it can point travelers toward overlooked destinations by subsidizing flights, potentially saving businesses like guesthouses, restaurants, and guides in regions where tourism has been fairly quiet since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explaining Thailand’s tourism decline
For decades, Thailand attracted ever-growing numbers of backpackers and visitors for its nightlife in big cities, among other draws. Photo: Nataliia Sokolovska/Shutterstock
According to data from Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, 20.8 million international visitors arrived in the country in the first half of 2025. It’s a drop from the 22.4 million who visited during the first half of 2024, and makes it unlikely that the country will meet its goal of welcoming 39 million visitors in 2025. It’s nearly a seven percent drop, and a significant loss for the country: 39 million visitors would generate approximately 2 trillion baht in tourism revenue — a significant amount for a country with a GDP of 18.586 trillion baht. By comparison, nearby countries like Vietnam reported a 15 percent jump in tourism in the first half of 2025, while Japan saw a 21.1 percent increase in visitor arrivals over the same period.
The biggest drop in visitation was visitors from China, who usually make up about a quarter of Thailand’s annual visitors. Some would-be Chinese visitors have cited safety concerns, especially after the widely covered kidnapping of a famous Chinese actor, and reports of violent crime in cities. Competition is also up as countries like Vietnam and Cambodia invest in tourist-friendly infrastructure, and favorable currency exchange rates make traditionally more expensive Asian countries more affordable. Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for about one-fifth of Thailand’s GDP and employs millions of citizens in what were high-paying, reliable jobs.
When will the Thailand free flight program start?
A misty morning in Doi Phu Kha Naional Park in northern Thailand. Photo: Em7/Shutterstock
The program has already been announced, with the logistics set into motion — but it’s not a sure thing yet, as Thailand’s National Assembly (akin to Congress) still needs to vote on the bill. However, it’s expected to pass. Travelers from all countries are eligible (though, controversially, Thai nationals are not), and would-be travelers should check the Tourism Authority of Thailand or participating airlines’ websites for updates when they happen. A list of the exact eligible flight routes hasn’t been announced, though the Minister did note that flights would include checked baggage. 