Mainland Chinese tourists dressed in traditional Thai costumes visit Wat Arun temple ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year as China reopens the border in Bangkok, Thailand, January 18, 2023. Photo by Reuters
Thailand’s new government is mulling a visa waiver for visitors from China as arrivals from the world’s biggest source market fell short of the target.
Thailand’s new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has urged relevant agencies to consider scrapping visas for Chinese tourists by October to revive the tourist industry during the peak tourist season. Bangkok Post reported.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects the government’s plan to issue free visas to visitors from China will lead to 700,000 additional arrivals during the peak season.
Thailand has welcomed 2.1 million Chinese tourists so far this year, less than half of the annual target of 5 million, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Before the pandemic, Chinese tourists were the largest feeder market to Thailand’s tourism industry. In 2019, more than 11 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand, accounting for more than a quarter of total foreign arrivals.
Chinese and Indian tourists are allowed to apply for a visa upon arrival which costs 2,000 THB (US$57).
Visa approval time for Chinese visitors now takes two weeks, compared to just 3-5 business days before 2020.
