Thailand is planning a major campaign to attract foreign tourists and bring tourism revenues back to pre-pandemic levels.
Abolition of visas and simplification of entry for Europeans
The authorities have announced their intention to cancel visas for citizens of a number of European countries. This will allow tourists from Europe to stay in the Kingdom for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.
Already now for citizens of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, India and Taiwan there is a simplified visa regime. In addition, airlines have been instructed to increase the number of flights to Thailand, as well as to optimize the work of airports to reduce the waiting time for tourists.
Such measures are designed to make entry to Thailand as easy as possible for foreign nationals and to create a comfortable environment for tourists.
Nightlife and entertainment
The authorities plan to allow nightclubs and other entertainment venues in such tourist centers as Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chonburi to operate until 4 am.
Hundreds of cultural events such as music festivals, sports competitions and other celebrations will also be organized. A Winter Festival with thousands of tourists is planned for winter 2023.
All these measures are aimed at getting tourists to spend more time in Thailand and spend more money on recreation and entertainment.
Return to pre-pandemic tourism figures
Despite the lifting of pandemic-related restrictions, Thailand's tourism industry has yet to reach 2019 levels in key indicators.
Back then, a record 40 million foreign tourists visited the country and tourism revenues totaled 1.91 trillion baht. The average expenditure per tourist then reached 47,900 baht for a trip lasting 9 days.
The Thai government has set an ambitious goal by 2024 not only to return the tourist flow indicators to the level of 2019, but also to exceed it, receiving from tourism at least 2 trillion baht (57 billion U.S. dollars).
The ongoing campaign to stimulate tourism and create the most comfortable conditions for vacationers is designed to return Thailand to the status of one of the world leaders in tourism.
Author of the article: Ekaterina Antonova
