Southeast Asia's second largest economy urged to give cash coupons to foreign visitors

By Hoang Vu September 15, 2025 | 07:54 pm PT

Locals and tourists play with water as they celebrate the Songkran holiday which marks the Thai New Year in Bangkok, Thailand, April 13, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Tourism operators in Thailand are urging the government to issue cash coupons to foreign visitors to spur spending amid a prolonged slowdown.

Ratchaporn Poolsawadee, vice-president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said the government should consider quick-win incentives to compete with regional rivals, Bangkok Post reported.

Industry insiders say travel cash coupons usable at any store would help channel tourist spending into local communities.

In 2023, Taiwan offered vouchers worth about US$165 to roughly 500,000 foreign tourists to support its post-pandemic tourism recovery.

Despite a generally positive outlook for the upcoming high season in Thailand, concerns about global economic instability persist, Poolsawadee added.

The impact of new U.S. tariffs and ongoing geopolitical tensions could weigh on Thai tourism in the year ahead.

As competition from regional rivals intensifies, Thailand must not only attract more leisure travelers but also restore visitor confidence to keep it a leading destination for both business and leisure travel, Travel and Tour World reported.

Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-largest economy according to 2024 GDP figures, recorded 22.39 million foreign arrivals from Jan. 1 to Sept. 7, down 7.11% from the same period a year earlier, according to Reuters.

Vietnam and Japan posted the world's fastest year-on-year growth in tourist arrivals in the first half of 2025, both at 21%.