What is the True Capacity of Thailand’s Domestic Tourism in 2024?

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) revealed that the government’s target of accruing 1.08 trillion baht (US$30.9 trillion) in revenue from domestic tourism this year may be challenging to achieve due to high travel costs and weak flight capacity.

The target set by the TAT for the domestic market is 200 million trips this year, matching the 2019 levels. However, last year, the domestic tourism industry could only manage 185 million trips, generating just over 900 billion baht (US$25.8 billion), said Somradee Chitchong, the Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing at TAT.

“To mark a full recovery, seat capacity on flights has to improve to 46.5 million from 36.5 million recorded last year, while economic conditions should be more upbeat than in 2023.”

Somradee also highlighted that increased airfare costs, particularly for last-minute bookings,…