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Thailand is launching a domestic tourism subsidy programme in September while proposing a fee on foreign visitors to finance infrastructure, safety and environmental restoration at tourist sites.
Thailand attracted 17.36 million foreign tourists through mid-July, earning 838.73 billion baht in tourism revenue. Though arrivals declined 3.05% compared to last year, recent weeks show momentum returning through expanded air connectivity and seasonal travel patterns.
Thailand is abandoning its decades-old mass-tourism model to chase high-spending visitors instead. The kingdom now targets 33 million arrivals versus pre-pandemic peaks, prioritizing revenue per visitor over raw numbers.