Thailand and China are set to bolster their tourism ties with a landmark agreement, slated to take effect on March 1, allowing citizens of each country to travel visa-free to the other. This reciprocal arrangement is anticipated to foster increased tourism and economic collaboration.
In a bid to attract more Chinese tourists, Thailand has taken a significant stride by transforming its initial temporary visa waiver, launched in September last year and scheduled to expire on February 29, 2024, into a permanent visa-free policy, as reported by VisaGuide.World.
The effectiveness of the visa waiver policy has already been evident, with more than 22,000 Chinese nationals entering Thailand within the first two days of its implementation, according to local media reports.
Recognizing the pivotal role of tourism in its economy, Thailand welcomed 28 million foreign tourists in 2023, with Malaysia (4.4 million visitors) and China (3.4 million visitors) making substantial contributions. To further boost tourism revenue, Thailand has set an ambitious target of generating 3.5 trillion baht ($100 billion) in 2024.
In conjunction with these visa policy changes, Thailand has unveiled plans to streamline the process for foreign tourists to claim value-added tax refunds on their purchases in the country. Tourists purchasing goods up to 20,000 baht ($585) will no longer be required to present them to customs officials during the refund process, marking a notable increase from the previous limit of 5,000 baht ($146).
In a bid to attract new arrivals, Thailand had previously lifted visa requirements for visitors from India and Taiwan in November 2023. This initiative, effective from December 2023 to May 2024, is expected to bring in approximately 700,000 new arrivals, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Concurrently, the Thai government announced an extension of the visa-free stay period to 90 days for European tourists, aligning with broader efforts to revive the country’s economy.
Notably, China has reciprocated by establishing a visa-free travel policy for citizens from five EU countries—France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain—as well as Malaysia. In effect from December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, this policy allows ordinary passport holders from the specified countries to enjoy a visa-free stay in China for up to 15 days. The implementation of this policy has already yielded significant results, with approximately 214,000 individuals from the mentioned European countries and Malaysia entering China in December 2023, with 118,000 of them entering visa-free.
