A plan to overhaul the visa system is currently being discussed by the government and tourism authorities. The changes are expected to increase revenue from Thailand’s key tourism markets such as India and China.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is aiming to overhaul the visa system in response to calls from tourism operators about the complicated and expensive visa procedure that deters visitors from overseas countries, especially from China and India. They advised that the e-visa system should be streamlined to entice more travelers, especially from China, to visit Thailand.
The ministry also recently hosted an online meeting with Thai consular officials in overseas countries to discuss new tourism strategies to boost the economy. Some of the issues discussed are upgrading consular data and developing e-visa and e-passport systems.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set a revenue target of 3 trillion baht from foreign visitors next year. However, Thai businesses have advised the government to implement additional measures as well as lifting certain restrictions for Thailand to reach its tourism target for 2024.
It is expected that more countries, such as India, will be included in the list of visa-exempt countries to further attract visitors to the country. More policies are likely to follow for revitalizing the tourism industry once the new government officially takes office. (NNT)
