In an effort to enhance tourism, Thailand is set to eliminate visa requirements for travelers from India and Taiwan, beginning next month and lasting until May 2024. This decision was announced by a government representative on October 31.
India has emerged as Thailand’s fourth-largest tourism source this year, with almost 1.2 million arrivals, trailing countries such as Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Thailand is striving to reach a target of 28 million arrivals in 2023 to help bolster its economy, with the travel sector compensating for weak exports.
In a similar move, Sri Lanka recently granted visa-free entry to India and several other countries to promote tourism, effective immediately until March 21, 2024.
Also read: List of Visa Free Countries for Indian Passport Holders
Thailand had previously removed visa requirements for Chinese tourists in September, as it sought to rejuvenate its tourism industry. China had been the largest contributor to Bangkok’s pre-pandemic tourism market, accounting for 11 million of the record 39 million arrivals in 2019.
According to the most recent government data, Thailand received nearly 22 million visitors from January to October 29, generating 927.5 billion baht ($25.67 billion) in revenue.