After Sri Lanka, Thailand Also Invites Indian Tourists Visa-Free

Thailand has just made a big announcement that will make Indian travelers very happy. Starting from November 10th, people from India can go to Thailand without needing a visa. 

This will go on for six months, up to May 10, 2024. If you are flying from India or Taiwan to Thailand, you can stay there for up to 30 days without any visa hassle.

The main reason is to attract more tourists. Thailand’s tourism sector is a big part of its economy, making up nearly 20% of its GDP. But ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the tourism sector has faced challenges. 

They are hoping to get things back on track and think this move will help them do just that. A government official from Thailand said they hope this will bring in an extra 1.4 million tourists and add about $1.5 billion to their economy.

Before this, people from India and Taiwan had to apply for a 15-day visa on arrival when they landed in Thailand. They also had to show things like bank statements and proof of where they were staying. Now, all those steps are removed. Just pack your bags and go!

Thailand isn’t the first country to open its doors like this. Sri Lanka also recently said it would let tourists from India visit without needing a visa. This is part of a plan to boost their own tourism sector and will last until March 31, 2024.

According to the data, from the start of this year till the end of October, 22 million people visited Thailand. This brought in about $25.67 billion for them. Among these visitors, about one million were from Russia. 

And don’t forget, nearly 1.2 million Indians have already visited Thailand this year, making us the fourth biggest group of tourists for them after Malaysia, China, and South Korea.

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Thailand is looking to welcome about 28 million tourists this year to make up for some economic gaps, especially because their export business isn’t doing too well. 

Tourism is such a big part of their economy, and this move to allow visa-free entry for Indians is a significant step.