Thailand waives visa for Indian and Taiwanese tourists

Thailand is eliminating visa requirements for travelers from India and Taiwan starting next month until May 2024 to attract more tourists, especially as the peak tourist season nears.

This follows a similar move in September when Thailand lifted visa requirements for Chinese tourists, who were the largest group of visitors before the pandemic, accounting for 11 million out of 39 million total arrivals in 2019.

From January to late October this year, Thailand welcomed 22 million tourists, bringing in approximately $25.67 billion. Visitors from India and Taiwan can now stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without a visa.

This year, India ranks as the fourth largest source of tourists for Thailand, following Malaysia, China, and South Korea, with nearly 1.2 million Indian tourists visiting. The number of Indian tourists is increasing, thanks to more airlines and hospitality businesses focusing on this market.

Thailand hopes to attract about 28 million tourists in 2023, as the government seeks to bolster the travel industry to counterbalance the country's weak export performance and stimulate economic growth.

In a related development, Sri Lanka recently introduced visa-free entry for citizens of seven countries, including India, until March 21, 2024, as announced by their foreign affairs minister, Ali Sabry, on a social media platform "X". This move is part of a pilot project to enhance tourism.