In preparation for the high tourist season, Thailand has unveiled a plan to temporarily eliminate visa requirements for travelers from India and Taiwan, running from next month until May 2024. Mr. Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, following a cabinet meeting on October 31, made this announcement as part of an effort to reinvigorate the nation’s tourism sector. This comes after Thailand’s recent approval of five months of visa-free travel for tourists from China and Kazakhstan.
Commencing from November 10, 2023, until May 10, 2024, tourists from India will enjoy visa-free entry to Thailand. The decision aims to boost tourism, with India being a significant contributor to Thailand’s tourism industry. “Arrivals from India and Taiwan can enter Thailand for 30 days,” according to spokesperson Chai Wacharonke.
Thailand welcomed 22 million visitors between January and October 29, resulting in a revenue of 927.5 billion baht ($25.67 billion), as per the latest government data.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin conveyed that travelers from India and Taiwan will enjoy visa-free entry to Thailand from November 10 to May 10 this year, reported Bloomberg. The move comes as part of a concerted effort to enhance tourism in the country.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s most recent data reveals that Malaysian tourists have been the largest group of visitors this year, with over 3 million arrivals. Chinese tourists, who held the top spot before the pandemic, constitute the second-largest group, with 2.65 million arrivals as of October 15. The tourism agency in Thailand anticipates a potential increase in the number of Chinese tourists, reaching between 4 to 4.4 million in 2023.
On October 24, the Sri Lankan Cabinet approved the issuance of free visas to citizens of India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand, effective immediately, as a pilot project running until March 31, as announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Ali Sabry.
Notably, this visa waiver for Indian and Taiwanese tourists in Thailand is an addition to the previous visa exemption offered to Chinese nationals. All these measures aim to encourage tourism and enhance visitor experiences.
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