Thailand Unleashes “Thai Travel Thai Plus” Co-Payment Revolution to Ignite Domestic Tourism Boom, Empower Local Businesses and Transform Nationwide Travel Experiences

Written By: Shraddha Das

Shraddha Das

I am a passionate travel writer at Travel and Tour World (TTW) with two years of experience covering the ever-evolving world of travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality. She enjoys turning complex industry updates into engaging stories that inspire and inform readers around the globe. With a keen eye for detail and a love for discovering what makes every destination unique, Shraddha is committed to delivering accurate, insightful, and reader-friendly content that connects people with the world of travel.

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July 14, 2026 2:19 PM

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Thailand is unleashing the “Thai Travel Thai Plus” co-payment revolution to ignite a new domestic tourism boom by reducing travel costs for residents, encouraging more local journeys and supporting businesses across the country. The new government-backed scheme aims to transform nationwide travel experiences by providing financial incentives for tourists while spreading visitor spending beyond major destinations to local communities, hotels, restaurants, transport providers and tourism operators. With a planned budget of billions of Thai baht, expanded digital access and wider participation from the tourism supply chain, the initiative is designed to empower local businesses and create stronger, long-term growth for Thailand’s domestic travel industry.

Thailand is preparing a powerful new domestic tourism transformation with the upcoming “Thai Tiao Thai Plus” (Thai Travel Thai Plus) co-payment programme, designed to encourage millions of local travel journeys and support businesses across the country. The initiative aims to increase domestic tourism activity during the second half of the year by reducing travel costs for Thai citizens and spreading tourism income to more provinces.

The new campaign comes after the success of earlier government-backed tourism programmes such as “We Travel Together” and “Travel Thai Half-Half,” which helped increase domestic trips and supported tourism businesses during challenging periods. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has already completed the campaign identity and is now working on the final details before the official launch.

The government expects Thai Tiao Thai Plus to become a major tourism support programme that encourages residents to explore more destinations while creating stronger economic benefits for communities across Thailand.

Thailand Targets One Million Travel Benefits With Billions in Tourism Support Funding

The Thai government has announced an ambitious plan to provide at least one million travel privileges through the new co-payment scheme. The programme will receive financial support of no less than 3 billion Thai baht from the upcoming 2027 fiscal year budget.

The funding will allow the government to provide travel assistance expected to exceed 3,000 baht per privilege. The support aims to make domestic holidays more affordable and motivate travellers to visit different regions of the country.

The campaign is expected to run for approximately eight months, starting in the final quarter of the year. This extended timeline will allow the scheme to support tourism during both high-demand travel periods and quieter seasons.

Unlike short promotional campaigns, Thailand wants this initiative to create continuous travel momentum. The goal is to ensure that tourism income reaches hotels, restaurants, transport providers, local attractions and small businesses throughout the country.

Thailand Expands Tourism Benefits Beyond Major Cities to Support More Provinces

The government is redesigning the tourism support model to create wider benefits across Thailand’s tourism supply chain. Authorities are reviewing previous campaign structures to make the new programme more effective and inclusive.

One major focus is encouraging travellers to explore destinations beyond famous tourism centres. Officials are studying previous travel conditions, including restrictions that encouraged weekend trips and differences between major tourism cities and secondary destinations.

The new approach aims to distribute visitors more evenly across provinces, helping smaller communities gain greater economic opportunities from tourism.

The campaign is expected to support various sectors connected to travel, including:

• Hotels and accommodation businesses by increasing room demand and visitor stays.
• Restaurants and local shops by encouraging more tourist spending.
• Public transportation operators by increasing passenger movement.
• Domestic airlines by creating additional travel demand between Thai destinations.
• Local tourism businesses by bringing more visitors to communities outside traditional hotspots.

Tourism authorities believe that strengthening the entire tourism ecosystem will help Thailand create a more balanced and sustainable domestic travel market.

Thailand Links New Tourism Scheme With Digital Payment System for Easier Access

To improve convenience for travellers, the Thai government plans to connect the Thai Tiao Thai Plus programme with the existing “Pao Tang” mobile application.

Instead of creating a completely new digital platform, authorities will use an established payment system that is already familiar to many users. This decision is expected to reduce technical problems and make the registration and payment process smoother.

However, officials are still finalising the exact co-payment structure. The government has confirmed the overall budget but is considering whether the scheme should follow a 50:50 payment model or a stronger 60:40 support system.

Under the possible 60:40 model, the government would contribute a larger share of travel expenses, giving tourists greater financial support.

The final decision on the payment ratio will determine how attractive the programme becomes and how strongly it encourages domestic travel.

Thailand Plans More Domestic Trips Per Person to Reach 200 Million Annual Journeys

Thailand’s tourism strategy is shifting towards increasing travel frequency among existing domestic tourists. Authorities believe the future growth of domestic tourism depends not only on attracting new travellers but also encouraging people to travel more often.

According to tourism officials, Thai residents currently take slightly more than two domestic trips per year on average. The government wants to increase this figure to around three trips per person annually.

This growth is considered important for achieving Thailand’s target of approximately 200 million domestic tourist journeys every year.

By increasing the number of trips taken by residents, Thailand expects stronger revenue circulation for local communities, hospitality businesses, transport operators and tourism-related industries.

Thailand is launching the “Thai Travel Thai Plus” co-payment scheme to boost domestic tourism by making travel more affordable, increasing local journeys and supporting businesses across the nation. The initiative aims to create a stronger and more inclusive tourism economy.

Thailand’s “Plus” Feature Opens New Opportunities for Local Travel Businesses

The additional “Plus” feature is expected to expand the use of digital travel benefits beyond traditional tourism services.

Earlier tourism support schemes mainly allowed travellers to use benefits at hotels, restaurants and souvenir stores. Under the new programme, authorities are exploring wider participation from businesses linked to tourism.

The expanded system could include:

• Public transport networks
• Local mobility services
• Tourism experience providers
• Additional community-based businesses

By allowing more industries to participate, Thailand aims to create a stronger connection between visitor spending and local economic growth.

The Thai Tiao Thai Plus campaign represents Thailand’s latest effort to strengthen domestic tourism, increase travel activity and support businesses nationwide. With a large financial commitment, improved digital access and broader industry participation, the programme is expected to become a major force in driving Thailand’s domestic tourism recovery and future growth.