TAT urges government to extend tourist visas

Thailand is seeking to revolutionise its tourism sector, urging the government to extend visa-free stays for long-haul tourists, including those from the United States and Europe.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) aims to elevate long-haul revenue to a whopping 40% of the country’s total in 2024.

Thailand’s Deputy Governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, advocates for the initiative, claiming that longer stays will not only boost the average duration of visits but also maximise spending per trip.

Currently, Thailand welcomes tourists from over 60 countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, and Scandinavia, offering them a 30-day visa-free stay. Siripakorn points to the success of a similar 90-day provision granted to Russian tourists last November. Over 100,000 foreign tourists, primarily from the US, the UK, Sweden, and Germany, applied for a 60-day visa last year.

Siripakorn emphasised the potential economic boost for the country.

“Extending stays should add at least a million room nights nationwide.”

Furthermore, TAT has petitioned the National Tourism Policy Committee to extend other traveller-friendly measures, seeking to maintain the suspension of TM6 forms at Thai-Malaysia border crossings, a 30-day visa-free stay for Kazakh tourists, and the 90-day visa-free stay for Russians. However, these proposals hinge on Cabinet approval.

This year, the TAT sets its sights on welcoming 10 million long-haul tourists, constituting nearly 30% of the projected 35 million foreign tourists. Before the pandemic in 2019, Thailand hosted nine million long-haul tourists, contributing 33% to the total revenue of 1.9 trillion baht from 40 million visitors.

Deputy Governor Siripakorn remains optimistic, revealing that long-haul flights to Thailand this winter have surged to 80% of pre-pandemic levels, hinting at an impending influx of international arrivals.

To further entice visitors, the TAT plans to collaborate with international airlines, encouraging them to establish new routes to less congested airports in destinations like Surat Thani, U-Tapao in Chon Buri, Krabi, and Chiang Mai, reported Bangkok Post.

Despite geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, Siripakorn remains confident that overseas tourism is indispensable for European travellers. The allure of Thailand’s affordable living prices offsetting high airfares keeps them coming back for longer stays.