With the peak tourist season just around the corner, Thailand Tourism has some good news for Indian tourists. The Thai government has decided to waive visa requirements for arrivals from India and Taiwan from next month until May 2024, a government official said on 31 October.
Thailand’s latest move reflects the government’s organic efforts to boost the country’s tourism and thus its economic growth, which has otherwise been battling weak export-related headwinds for some time.
In early September this year, Thailand abolished visa requirements for Chinese tourists, the country’s top tourism market, accounting for 11 million of a record 39 million arrivals in 2019.
From January to October 29, there were 22 million visitors to Thailand, generating 927.5 billion baht ($25.67 billion), according to the latest government data.
“Arrivals from India and Taiwan can stay in Thailand for 30 days,” said spokesman Chai Wacharonke.
It should be noted that India was Thailand’s fourth largest source market for tourism so far this year, with about 1.2 million arrivals, after Malaysia, China and South Korea.
Inbound tourism from India showed signs of growth as more airlines and hospitality chains targeted the market.
Thailand is targeting around 28 million arrivals this year, with the new government optimistic about growth in the travel sector to offset continued weak exports that have constrained the country’s economic growth.
