TAT eyes 3 trillion baht in tourism revenue for 2026, ramps up recovery strategy

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is hosting a strategic integration meeting from July 14–17, 2025 to finalise its operational plan for the 2026 fiscal year. The four-day session brings together executives from TAT’s 45 domestic offices and 29 overseas branches to align marketing policy and direction with the rapidly changing global tourism landscape.

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool announced that the agency has set a tourism revenue target of 3 trillion baht for 2026, aiming for a growth of no less than 7% over the expected 2.87 trillion baht in 2025. This year’s figure is likely to fall short of the original 3-trillion-baht target due to slower-than-expected recovery in key inbound markets such as China.

For 2025, international tourism revenue is projected at 1.77 trillion baht from at least 35.5 million foreign arrivals, on par with last year. Domestic tourism is expected to contribute around 1.1 trillion baht from approximately 205 million Thai trips.

“The tourism outlook right now is like a rollercoaster—it’s extremely volatile,” Thapanee remarked.

With over 65 years of experience promoting Thai tourism, TAT now sees the need to “reinvigorate” the sector, especially as tourism remains a key pillar of the Thai economy. The focus moving forward is “value over volume,” with a shift toward high-quality, segmented targeting that’s faster and more precise. The final 2026 visitor targets will be confirmed after the operational plan is completed and formally announced during the Tourism Marketing Direction Forum on July 21 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok.

Meanwhile, the “Half-Half Thai Travel” scheme has been relaunched, with registration for public participation reopening on July 10, 2025. TAT expects 250,000 claims to be used by the end of July and the full 500,000 entitlements to be redeemed by August.

As of July 14, at 09:30 a.m., 1,725,238 people had successfully registered, with 119,213 entitlements used, leaving 380,787 remaining.

A total of 5,748 businesses have been approved under the scheme so far, including 3,233 hotels and accommodation providers, 2,172 restaurants, 86 tourist attractions, 101 wellness and spa services, 106 OTOP (local product) vendors, 50 car and boat rental services.

Chakrapol Tangsutthitham, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, stated that the ministry anticipates that global developments—including geopolitical tensions, globalisation, technological advancement, and rising competition from neighbouring countries leveraging tourism as a key economic engine—will require the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to take the lead in stimulating the market throughout the second half of 2025 and into 2026.

The Ministry of Tourism has set out eight core policy directives for TAT to align its strategic planning with:

1. Promote alternative markets to offset the continued slowdown in Chinese outbound tourism, with a focus on expanding visitor bases from Europe, the United States, and the Middle East.
2. Target high-spending quality segments, such as health and wellness tourism and digital nomads, in addition to the traditional leisure segment.
3. Strengthen Thailand’s soft power.
4. Promote domestic tourism and create more opportunities for Thai businesses to access sales channels.
5. Leverage sports events to generate increased tourism revenue.
6. Promote sustainable tourism, in line with the government’s forthcoming Clean Air Act, which aims to tackle PM2.5 air pollution—particularly during Thailand’s high season (Q4 through Q1 of the following year).
7. Elevate Thailand’s international image and promote the country as a world-class destination.
8. Enhance tourist safety and security, a key priority for maintaining confidence among international travellers.

Chakrapol further commented on the Travel Fee, a proposed inbound tourism levy for foreign visitors, also known colloquially as the "Kha Yeap Pan Din". He noted that the proposal is still under review by Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong, who believes that 2025 is not the right time to introduce the charge due to external uncertainties.

“We must first observe the sentiment and demand from foreign tourists during the upcoming high season in Q4 this year,” Chakrapol said.

He added that the ministry still needs to carefully study the technical and financial details of the proposed fee, including determining an appropriate rate based on modes of entry—land, rail, sea, or air. The ministry now expects to begin collecting the travel fee around Q2 to Q3 of 2026, subject to further policy refinement.