Cabinet approves economy boosting tourism packages

BANGKOK (NNT) – The Cabinet today approved in principle three 4-month tourism campaigns worth 22.4 billion baht, aimed at kickstarting the tourism sector running from July to October.

The government will be offering tourism packages and subsidies in three separate campaigns, starting with tourism packages for Village Health Volunteers and staff at subdistrict health promotion hospitals, who have worked tirelessly during the COVID-19 outbreak.

To finance this offer, the government will provide a 2.4 billion baht tourism budget for 1.2 million health volunteers and health promotion hospital staff, to enable them to take a 2-day, 1-night trip or longer with a tour company. The budget will provide an allowance of up to 2,000 baht for their tour package costs.

3,000 baht allowance for a hotel stay

As for the general public, the government will provide 40 percent or up to a 3,000 baht allowance for a hotel stay of up to five nights.

Eligible persons will receive up to 600 baht per night allowance on the government wallet application which can be used to pay for food or services during their trip.

The government will allot a 10.8 million baht budget for this campaign. To receive the allowance, the hotel stay must be in a province different from the traveler’s registered province of residence.

Transportation subsidy to 2 million people

The government will also provide a transportation subsidy to 2 million people at 40 percent or no more than 1,000 baht per person, costing some 2 billion baht. The subsidy is applicable only to low-cost airline tickets, car rentals, and non-scheduled bus services.

Furthermore, people taking the benefits of the hotel stay allowance campaign, will also receive an offer of a round-trip air ticket of 2,5000 baht per person.

The government has tasked Krungthai Bank to develop a central platform to collect information from hotels, tour companies, transport providers, restaurants, and tourism attractions, while the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports will be announcing more details regarding these offers.