Thai tourism industry eyes higher travel subsidy for 2025 rollout
The ‘We Travel Together’ scheme is set for a revamp with plans to offer up to 50% discounts for domestic travel under certain conditions
The new phase of the “Rao Thiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) subsidy should be ready for Cabinet deliberation early next year, and the discounts offered may be raised to 50%.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said on Tuesday that he is planning to discuss the source of funds for this scheme with Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat before this month is over.
The Rao Thiew Duay Kan scheme was initiated by the previous government to revive the economy in the fallout of the Covid-10 pandemic. The Prayut Chan-o-cha government launched the scheme in five phases, in which the government provided a 40% subsidy on room rates to Thais who had subscribed for the rights.
Sorawong said he wanted to raise the subsidy to 50%, but under certain conditions.
For instance, he said, the higher subsidy can apply to people who visit the 55 second-tier provinces on weekdays, while those visiting first-tier provinces or travelling on weekends will only get the 40% subsidy.
He said he expects to finalise the scheme’s details in time for the Cabinet to consider it in the first quarter of next year. This way, he said, it can be applied during the low season of next year.
Sorawong said his ministry will also find measures to plug loopholes in the five phases that were implemented during the Prayut government.
It has been alleged that certain hotels collaborated with some people who had the right to the subsidy to cheat the government.
It is reported that the five phases of the scheme cost the government 24 billion baht and resulted in 58.62 billion baht circulating in the economy.
