The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is moving forward with tourism stimulus measures for late 2025 through 2026, highlighting the potential of 55 secondary cities through the “Secondary Cities Festival,” held under the concept “Secondary Cities — The Places You Must Experience.” The event amplifies each destination’s cultural, natural, and community assets to deliver high-value tourism experiences. The Ministry anticipates that the festival will support more than 25,000 local businesses and community enterprises, generating tangible economic opportunities and distributing income to secondary cities nationwide.
Ms. Natthriya Thaweevong , Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, stated that the Ministry continues to accelerate key measures to position tourism as a major engine of Thailand’s economic growth. In recent years, the Ministry has implemented proactive policies to strengthen the country’s competitiveness on the global stage, including the nationwide upgrade of tourism infrastructure and standards to ensure safety, cleanliness, and convenience—such as improved signage, public restrooms, and universal-access facilities. These upgrades are part of a broader effort to reinforce Thailand’s image as a world-class destination and to support year-round tourism.
In addition, the Ministry continues to advance secondary city tourism through several major initiatives, including the We Travel Together 2025 scheme, which subsidizes 50% of travel expenses in secondary cities, and the “Travel Thailand, Get Money Back” (Teaw Dee Mee Kuen) tax deduction program, offering tax benefits of up to THB 30,000. Collaborative efforts with public and private sector partners have also been intensified to enhance service standards, promote selected secondary cities as emerging MICE destinations, and elevate local festivals and cultural events to national recognition. The Ministry is further supporting SMEs through stimulus measures designed to revitalize hotels, lodgings, and tourism-related services in these areas. The overarching goal is to position secondary city tourism as a major driver of Thailand’s economy—creating income, generating jobs, and expanding long-term economic opportunities for local communities.
The “Secondary Cities Festival,” presented under the theme “Secondary Cities — The Places You Must Experience,” features the signature highlights 5 MUST DO | 5 HIDDEN GEMS | 55 DESTINATIONS, bringing together the cultural charm, lifestyles, and heritage of Thailand’s five regions—North, Central, Northeast, East, and South—in a single venue. The event features an array of engaging activities, including an interactive sustainability exhibition promoting responsible and eco-conscious travel; a special talk session, “Secondary Cities…Sustainable Future,” led by experts and travel influencers; and live performances by leading Thai artists to attract a diverse audience.
The festival aims to deepen public appreciation of secondary cities, encourage domestic travel, distribute tourism income to local areas, and elevate regional cultural identity to a wider national and international audience.
