Thailand seeks to attract tourists to reach $100 billion in revenue.

Thailand plans to ease visa regulations for Chinese and Indian tourists, aiming to achieve nearly $100 billion in international visitor revenue next year.

Thailand's new Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, said that to achieve the above goals, the tourism industry will implement "the best short-term economic stimulus measures." The head of government wants to expand the list of visa-exempt countries and increase the length of stay for tourists from most countries and territories from 15 to 30 days.

Chinese tourists pose for photos on a beach in Thailand's Phang-Nga province in early 2020, before pandemic-related restrictions brought tourism to a standstill. Photo: Reuters

Mr. Srettha discussed options with the CEO of Airports of Thai, the company that operates the airport, and several airlines on August 28th. Thailand's short-term goal is to attract more international visitors in the fourth quarter, the peak tourist season. The airport operator has agreed to increase operating capacity by 20% to reduce congestion and expedite customs clearance for travelers.

According to data from the Bank of Thailand, tourism accounts for approximately 12% of the gross domestic product and provides 20% of the country's total employment. Thaneth Tantipiriyakij, Chairman of the Phuket Tourism Association, said that visa exemption is a strategy for the tourism industry to achieve rapid success.

Thailand expects to welcome around 30 million international tourists this year, nearly three times its target for last year. As of August 17th, more than 17 million international tourists had already visited the country, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Approximately 28% of the 39.8 million international visitors to Thailand in 2019 were Chinese. However, after the pandemic, the Chinese tourist market to Thailand recovered more slowly than expected. Tantipiriyakij said that the number of international visitors to Phuket up to July was 70% of pre-pandemic levels, but the recovery rate of Chinese tourists was only 30%.

According to Thailand's new Prime Minister , Chinese tourists, Thailand's largest international tourist market before the pandemic, are facing a costly and cumbersome visa application process. The government has identified this as a "barrier to tourism this year." In addition, China's unstable post-pandemic economy is also a concern.

Tourists from India, the world's most populous country, must pay 2,000 baht (US$57) to obtain a visa for a 15-day stay in Thailand. The high visa fee is also considered a barrier to attracting tourists.

To compensate for these issues, Prime Minister Sretta Thavisin said she has proposed adding flights to Phuket and Krabi, and easing visa restrictions for Chinese and Indian tourists. She also proposed extending visas for tourists from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, three markets considered to be higher-spending than Chinese and Malaysian tourists.

( By Anh Minh , according to SCMP )

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