Similar visa like Schengen for Thailand and 4 nations can boost global travel

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Last year, Thailand, along with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, welcomed approximately 70 million tourists. In anticipation of a tourism surge in the years ahead, Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, is championing a proposal for a Schengen-like visa scheme that would encompass these six Southeast Asian countries. This initiative is expected to facilitate easier travel across these nations and draw in more long-distance and high-spending visitors.

• According to a report by Bloomberg, discussions on the single-visa concept have been held by Srettha with his regional counterparts, receiving a generally positive reception.
  • Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the past president of the Thai Hotels Association, mentioned that such a unified visa could simplify travel decisions for long-haul tourists. She suggested that for the visa to be more appealing, its validity should be extended to 90 days, as opposed to the standard 30-day limit.
  • Bill Barnett, the managing director of C9 Hotelworks, highlighted that the advantages of visa-free travel could extend beyond tourism, benefiting business travel and trade by making movement easier.
• This single-visa initiative is among the most ambitious tourism strategies proposed by Srettha, designed with a long-term perspective in mind. The tourism sector has been a significant contributor to the country, representing about 20% of all jobs and accounting for roughly 12% of Thailand’s $500 billion economy. Excluding the pandemic years, tourism has thrived, acting as a buffer during downturns in manufacturing and exports, which are traditionally considered economic mainstays.
• In 2023, the six Southeast Asian countries collectively recorded 70 million international tourist visits, as per official figures. Thailand and Malaysia were responsible for over half of these visits, generating about $48 billion in tourism-related revenue.