Tourism
Thailand Climbs Six Spots In Henley Passport Index, Reaching 64th Position
(CTN NEWS) – In a recent survey conducted by consultancy firm Henley & Partners Holdings Ltd., Thailand has made significant progress, climbing six positions to reach the 64th spot in the World Passport Power Ranking.
This ranking is based on the number of locations that Thai passport holders can access visa-free.
According to a press release issued on July 18, Japan, which had held the top spot on the Henley Passport Index for five consecutive years, has been dethroned and now occupies the third position.
Henley Passport Index: Ranking the World’s Most Powerful Passports
- Singapore — Visa-free access to 192 countries
- Germany, Italy, and Spain — Visa-free access to 190 countries
- Austria, Finland, France, Japan, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden — Visa-free access to 189 countries
- Denmark, Ireland, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom — Visa-free access to 188 countries
- Belgium, Czech Republic, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland — Visa-free access to 187 countries
- Australia, Hungary, and Poland — Visa-free access to 186 countries
- Canada and Greece — Visa-free access to 185 countries
- Lithuania and the United States — Visa-free access to 184 countries
- Latvia, Slovakia, and Slovenia — Visa-free access to 183 countries
- Estonia and Iceland — Visa-free access to 182 countries
These rankings highlight the countries whose citizens enjoy the greatest freedom of travel globally, as measured by visa-free access to a wide range of destinations.
The index relies on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to determine global passport rankings.
Taking the lead as the most powerful passport in the world is Singapore, whose citizens enjoy visa-free access to an impressive 192 travel destinations out of a total of 227.
In a tie for second place are Germany, Italy, and Spain, with their passport holders benefiting from visa-free entry to 190 destinations.
Henley Passport Index 2023: Japanese Passport Holders Among Top 3, While Afghanistan Ranks at the Bottom
The Japanese passport holders have joined a select group of citizens from six other nations – Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden – in securing the 3rd place on the Henley Passport Index.
These passport holders can enjoy visa-free access to 189 destinations worldwide.
On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan continues to hold the bottom position on the Henley Passport Index, with an extremely limited visa-free access score of just 27.
It is followed closely by Iraq with a score of 29 and Syria with a score of 30, making them the three weakest passports in the world in terms of travel freedom.
Throughout the 18-year history of the ranking, there has been a noticeable trend towards increasing travel freedom. The average number of visa-free destinations accessible to travelers has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 109 in 2023.
Despite this positive trend, the disparity in global mobility between the highest and lowest ranked countries on the index has reached its widest point ever.
The top-ranked country, Singapore, now enjoys 165 more visa-free destinations than Afghanistan, highlighting the significant gap in travel privileges around the world.
Significant Changes in Visa-Free Access Over the Past Decade, Led by UAE’s Remarkable Progress
According to Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, the Chairman of Henley & Partners and the originator of the passport index concept, only eight countries worldwide have experienced a reduction in visa-free access over the past decade.
In contrast, many other countries have been successful in significantly increasing travel freedom for their citizens.
Dr. Kaelin highlights the impressive progress made by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has added a remarkable 107 destinations to its visa-free score since 2013.
This achievement has led to a massive leap of 44 positions in the ranking over the last 10 years, elevating the UAE from 56th place to an impressive 12th position.
Notably, the UAE’s improvement is nearly double that of the next biggest climber, Colombia, which has risen by 28 places to secure the 37th spot.
Additionally, both Ukraine and China have secured positions in the Top 10 countries that have shown the most significant improvement in their rankings over the past decade, reflecting their efforts in enhancing travel opportunities for their respective citizens.
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