Thailand is planning to make it easier for tourists from India and Taiwan to visit the country by waiving visa requirements from next month until May 2024. This move aims to boost the number of tourists as the high season approaches. Earlier in September, Thailand had also eliminated visa requirements for Chinese tourists, who were the main source of tourism before the pandemic.
In the first ten months of this year, Thailand welcomed 22 million visitors, generating about $25.67 billion in revenue, according to official data.
The Thai government hopes that foreign tourists will help stimulate economic growth. However, a recent incident of violence at a shopping mall in Bangkok may affect the plans for tourists.
For Chinese tourists, the Thai government has announced that they will have visa-free entry from the end of September until the end of February 2024. Previously, Chinese visitors could apply for a visa on arrival, but they needed to have travel insurance, hotel bookings, and proof of funds for a maximum stay of 15 days.
Thailand’s tourism sector is crucial, contributing nearly 20% to the country’s GDP. However, it has faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chinese tourist arrivals significantly dropped last year. Before the pandemic, Thailand welcomed around 11 million Chinese tourists in 2019.
The government had initially expected to receive 5 million Chinese tourists this year, but the actual number was much lower, with around 1.4 million Chinese tourists visiting in the first six months of the year. Overall, foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand have also decreased, with 9.47 million visitors from January to mid-May, compared to 11.15 million in the entire year of 2022.
