TAT Strengthens Regional Air Connectivity Through Fly and Drive Initiative

Thailand

Eight airport destinations to support regional tourism growth and encourage travel beyond Thailand’s main gateways

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is stepping up efforts to strengthen regional air connectivity and promote Fly and Drive tourism as part of its strategy to distribute visitor spending more evenly across the country. The initiative was discussed during a high-level meeting with representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the Department of Airports (DOA), Thai Airways International and other transport-related agencies.

The discussions focused on enhancing regional travel flows, improving access to emerging destinations and strengthening Thailand’s tourism competitiveness in the face of increasing international competition and rising airline operating costs.

Linking Air Travel with Regional Experiences

According to TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool, improved air connectivity will play a key role in the next stage of Thailand’s tourism development.

“Air connectivity is central to Thailand’s next phase of quality tourism growth. By linking regional airports with distinctive travel experiences, TAT aims to turn access into value, helping more destinations benefit from visitor spending while giving travellers more flexible ways to discover Thailand,” she said.

The meeting, held on 2 June 2026, examined ways to better align tourism marketing, route development and airport operations to stimulate travel demand during the second half of the year.

Eight Destinations at the Centre of the Strategy

As part of its plans, TAT outlined marketing support for eight destinations served by airports within the Department of Airports network under its “3-3-1-1” route focus programme, which will run from June to September 2026.

The selected destinations include three provinces in Northeastern Thailand—Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen—alongside three southern destinations: Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani. The programme also includes Prachuap Khiri Khan, served by Hua Hin Airport, and the northern province of Nan.

The concept encourages visitors to combine domestic flights with self-drive journeys, allowing easier access to nearby attractions and encouraging exploration beyond Thailand’s traditional tourism hubs.

Supporting Thailand’s Value over Volume Strategy

Beyond regional connectivity, TAT presented broader initiatives aimed at strengthening Thailand’s position as a competitive tourism destination.

These include promoting the country as a regional aviation hub for transit passengers, developing short-stay tourism experiences for travellers with extended layovers and exploring premium aviation segments such as seaplanes, private jets and helicopter services. The proposals are aligned with Thailand’s Value over Volume tourism strategy, which focuses on attracting higher-value travel segments while improving visitor experiences.

Towards More Seamless Travel

Participants also discussed measures to support domestic aviation, expand data-driven tourism marketing and create more integrated travel experiences linking air, road, rail and water transport.

Additional topics included joint marketing initiatives between tourism and transport stakeholders and the potential creation of a dedicated working group to coordinate future actions. The proposed group would focus on practical implementation across tourism promotion, route development and regional destination marketing.

The initiative reflects Thailand’s broader objective of using improved connectivity to spread tourism benefits more widely across the country while providing travellers with greater flexibility and access to diverse destinations.