Thailand is taking measures to accommodate a possible increase in Chinese tourists by initiating a new visa exemption program that will last for five months.
Key Takeaways
- Thailand is gearing up for a surge in Chinese tourists with the introduction of a new visa exemption program that spans over a five-month period.
- Thailand’s new visa exemption program for Chinese tourists has resulted in a strong response, with over 22,000 visitors entering the country in just two days.
- The program aims to boost Thailand’s tourism revenue and help strengthen the nation’s economic recovery, with an expected revenue of $3.8 billion.
- With the visa waiver, Thailand hopes to attract around 4 to 4.4 million Chinese tourists this year, making them the largest group of visitors to the country once again.
Thailand’s tourism industry heavily depends on Chinese visitors, with over 10 million Chinese tourists visiting the country annually before the Covid-19 pandemic. The current government in Bangkok is making efforts to recover these figures, including the removal of visa fees for Chinese tourists from September 26 for a period of 5 months.
The program, which allows Chinese visitors to enter Thailand without a visa for five months, has already seen a strong response with over 22,000 Chinese travelers entering the country in the first two days.
The aim is to boost Thailand’s economic recovery and raise tourism revenue to pre-pandemic levels. The government expects to generate 140.3 billion baht ($3.8 billion) in tourism revenue from the program.
From January to September 2023, Thailand welcomed a total of 2,284,281 Chinese visitors, establishing China as the second largest contributor to the country’s tourism market, following Malaysia. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is anticipating a further increase in Chinese arrivals this year, with an estimated range of 4 to 4.4 million visitors.