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Visa free For Chinese and Thai Tourists
12th Oct 2013
Chinese tourists are the largest group of international visitors to Thailand numbering 2.8 million in 2012, overtaking Malaysia who topped in 2011.
The official, Vichit Prakobgosol, has proposed to the Thai government to waive visa requirement to Chinese tourists who want to visit the country. The waiving of visa to Chinese visitors coming to Thailand is seen as the best way to encourage more Chinese to visit the country, boosting its tourism industry.
Vichit Prakobgosol is the Honorary Director for Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association while concurrently serves as a chairman of a travel consultancy service.
He further proposes the waiving of visa shall be extended to Chinese businessmen as well who are keen on investing in the country.
It is projected that visitors from China will exceed the 3 million mark this year. If waiving of visa will be implemented as soon as possible, more Chinese tourists will get attracted to visit Thailand and may hit the 5 million mark next year.
According to data obtained from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chinese tourists grew by 88.42% in the first 8 months of this year over the same period last year. For the eight-month period of 2013, from January to August, tourists from China logged in at 3.22 million.
At a modest estimate, Thailand could earn as high as 1 billion baht (US$32 million) if the 2 million Chinese tourists holding a 15-day visa come to the country. Processing of 15-day visa for visiting tourists in Thailand cost each tourist $25.
According to a Chinese tourism research center, new-generation Chinese tourists are more likely to travel more if visa is not required to countries they visit.
However, a Beijing-based travel agency manager said that the new Chinese tourism law prohibits travel agencies from offering extremely low tour packages but charge their clients additional costs which are normally indicated in fine prints.
As a result, travel agencies now receive fewer clients because of higher tour package deals.
Thailand is becoming more popular to Chinese tourists because of its affordability especially to first-time travelers from smaller Chinese cities.
The Chinese population who can afford to travel overseas has been growing at a steady rate in recent years, from 20 million two decades ago to 400 million today.
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