Thailand expands subsidies on hotel rooms, air tickets to boost domestic tourism

Tourists crowd the Thai beach Maya Bay which was made famous by 2000 film The Beach featuring Leonardo Dicaprio. Thai authorities closed the beach in 2019 citing overcrowding concerns. Photo: Shutterstock. Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

BANGKOK, Aug 20, 2020, TNA. The government’s Center for Economic Situation Administration has issued four measures to improve COVID-affected economy, emphasizing domestic tours and job creation, Pattaya Mail reported.

After the meeting of the center chaired by the prime minister, Danucha Pichayanan, deputy secretary-general of the National Economic and Social Development Council and assistant secretary to the center, said the government would expand its subsidies for domestic tourists. The hotel accommodation subsidy will increase from five to ten nights and the air ticket subsidy will rise from 1,000 to 2,000 baht per tourist.

The previous rates of subsidies prompted tourists to book only 550,000 nights at hotels while the government earlier expected hotel reservations under this measure to cover 5 million nights, he said.

Another measure deals with assistance for small and medium-sized enterprises and the Finance Ministry is implementing it.

Regarding the third measure, the Labour Ministry has gathered 600,000-700,000 jobs and will organize a job expo as about 750,000 people are jobless.

The fourth measure will stimulate people’s spending through a co-pay approach, not cash handouts. Details of the measure will be concluded in two weeks, Mr Danucha said.

Smith Banomyong, spokesman of the center, said large and listed companies would be invited to participate in the domestic tourism stimulus measure.

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