Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has introduced that his authorities intends to increase visa-free journey privileges to residents of many new nations.

After lately eliminating visa necessities for vacationers from China and India, Thailand is trying to stimulate additional its tourism sector, a significant contributor to the nation’s financial system, VisaGuide.World experiences.

Ranging from March 1, Thais and Chinese language residents can journey freely between these two nations, following a earlier settlement. Thailand’s strategic transfer to draw extra Chinese language vacationers consists of establishing a everlasting visa-free coverage. Launched initially as a brief measure in September final 12 months and scheduled to finish on February 29, 2024, the nation has opted to make this coverage a everlasting repair.

The efficacy of the visa waiver coverage has already been demonstrated, as evidenced by an inflow of over 22,000 Chinese language nationals into Thailand inside the preliminary two days of its implementation, as reported by native media sources.

Based on Reuters, Thailand has skilled progress within the tourism trade because the starting of visa-free insurance policies. Because of this, from January 1 to February 11, it recorded a exceptional 48 % enhance in overseas vacationer arrivals in comparison with the earlier 12 months, with China rising as the primary supply market.

The federal government has additionally set formidable targets for vacationer arrivals in 2024, aiming to welcome roughly 34 to 35 million guests—a rise from the 28 million recorded in 2023.

Earlier than the pandemic, Thailand witnessed a report excessive of practically 40 million overseas guests in 2019, underscoring the nation’s attraction as a high vacationer vacation spot.

Recognizing the important thing position of tourism in driving its financial system ahead, Thailand welcomed 28 million overseas vacationers in 2023, with notable contributions from Malaysia (4.4 million guests) and China (3.4 million guests).

With aspirations to additional enhance its tourism income stream, Thailand has set its sights on producing 3.5 trillion baht ($100 billion) in 2024. As a part of a broader technique to revitalize tourism, it additionally lately deliberate to waive visa necessities for guests from India and Taiwan ranging from December 2023 to Could 2024. On this regard, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) anticipates an extra inflow of 700,000 new arrivals to the nation by means of the visa waiver program.

As of February 2024, the Thai passport holds the 107th place within the international passport rating, as reported by the VisaGuide Passport Index. This rating gives Thai residents the privilege of visa-free journey to 47 nations all over the world. Nonetheless, for entry to 118 nations, Thai passport holders are required to bear a visa software course of earlier than their journey. Additionally they want an eVisa for 29 nations.