Thailand Expands Visa Waiver Program for Additional Countries
Thailand's Prime Minister has announced a project to expand visa-free travel opportunities for citizens of multiple new countries.
Thai and Indonesian citizens can travel visa-free to each other's countries from March 1st.
Thailand's tourism industry has seen significant growth, with an 11% increase in foreign tourists during last year's tours between January 28 and February 1.
Prime Minister of Thailand, Seritha Thawisin, has declared that their government will expand visa-free travel opportunities for citizens of some countries.
This move comes after Thailand eliminated visa requirements for travelers from China and India, indicating its intention to revive its tourism, which is one of its vital economic contributors, especially the work-study visa. Reports.
From March 1st, Thai and Chinese citizens can freely travel to each other's countries after previous agreements. This strategic step aims to attract more Chinese visitors to Thailand, including the establishment of a permanent visa-free policy.
Initially introduced as a temporary measure in September 2023, with plans to end it on the 29th of that month, the visa waiver policy is now becoming a permanent fixture.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of the policy has been demonstrated, evident from the arrival of over 22,000 Chinese citizens in Thailand within the first two days of its implementation, as reported by a local source.
To emphasize, writers explained that Thailand has witnessed an increase in tourism following the introduction of the visa waiver policy. Accordingly, from January 1st to February 1st, the country recorded a staggering 48% increase in international tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year. In this scenario, China stands as a significant source market.
The Thai government has set targets for tourist arrivals this year, aiming to welcome 28 million visitors compared to 35 million expected in 2023, after China, which stood at 28 million.
Moreover, prior to the viral outbreak in 2019, Thailand had hosted nearly 40 million international tourists.
With practical measures to further boost tourism revenue, the government has set its target to generate $100 billion in 2024. It aims to revitalize its tourism sector by exempting visa requirements for Indian and Taiwanese tourists from December 2023 to May 2024. Consequently, Thailand's Tourism Authority (TAT) anticipates an additional influx of 700,000 new visitors through the visa waiver policy.