Thailand begging for more tourists as Brits offered free flights

A country that is popular with British tourists has unveiled plans to offer free domestic flights for visitors to the nation as it tries to boost tourism during its off-peak season. International travel has never been more accessible than it is today, withcheap flights constantly on offer to destinations in Europe as well as further afield in the Americas, Asia and Africa. For Brits travelling to one Asian country, they might want to think about going during its slow season.

That is because the country has announced plans to offer free domestic flights to tourists coming from abroad, making it much cheaper to visit multiple destinations within the scenic nation in Southeast Asia. Thailand's Tourism and Sports Ministry has proposed giving free flights to 200,000 international visitors during its off-peak travel season. Tourists tend to go to Thailand between November and February, when islands swell with visitors as the weather is the most favourable in the country. However, tourists should consider going off-peak.

The proposal, 'Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights,' is awaiting approval from the Thai cabinet. If it goes ahead, tourists could explore a lot more of the country for a significantly lower cost.

Six different Thai airlines are on board. They are Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet. The free tickets would be offered to tourists from abroad when they book their flights into the country.

"The initiative aims to attract at least 200,000 foreign tourists, covering destinations across Thailand, with a particular focus on Unesco-designated cities, popular tourist spots and key destinations nationwide," said Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.

Despite its popularity, visitor numbers in Thailand have actually decreased year on year, and are yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis by Bloomberg.

The scheme is set to run from September to November if it gets the go-ahead. The campaign aims to push tourists beyond the usual hotspots of Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.

According to EuroNews, Thailand is falling short of its 39 million-visitor goal for 2025, after it hit its record high of 40 million in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. 20.8 million international arrivals have been recorded so far this year, which is down from this time last year.