Tourism Authority of Thailand Urges Increase in Visa Quota for Chinese Tourists as Demand Soars

(CTN News) – Since demand from Chinese Tourists is on the rise and the industry is showing signs of recovery, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is lobbying for an increase in the visa limit.

A monthly cap of 84,000 visas can be issued through travel agents by the Thai embassy in Beijing and eight consulates in China.

According to TAT’s Director of Marketing for East Asia, Governor Yuthasak Supasorn will meet with Foreign Ministry executives next week Chuwit Sirivejkul.

As the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand is expected to increase to 1 million each month, Chuwit said the current visa quota of 84,000 is insufficient to meet demand.

Thailand Aims to Welcome 1 Million Chinese Tourists Monthly; Visa Quota Insufficient

There were 843,920 Chinese Tourists to Thailand between January 1 and April 30, 2018. This number represents 10% of all international arrivals in Thailand during this time.

TAT has predicted that 5.3 million Chinese will visit Thailand this year, bringing in 446 billion baht in revenue, and this trend lends credence to their projections.

Chuwit said that if more aircraft and a larger visa allowance are made available, the number of visitors may reach 7 million.

According to the TAT regional director, there will have been 33,843 flights between Thailand and China, totaling 6.13 million seats between March and October.

The high volume of chartered flights anticipated between July and October is not included. Chinese Tourists can obtain a visa upon arrival rather than at an embassy or consulate; however, this option is more expensive and only permits a 14-day stay.

The cost of obtaining a visa at the airport is 2,000 baht, whereas the cost at the embassy is 1,200 baht.

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