Survey finds most Asian travellers favour streamlined visa systems

While 81 per cent favour the single visa system, a visa reciprocity system among Asean countries gained the support of a huge 87 per cent of total participants.

Seven thousand respondents from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, India and China took part in the study. Its findings also illustrated the extent to which visa requirements influence the holiday choices of Asian travellers, with three-quarters acknowledging that their choice of destination was “often dictated by visa requirements” – and an overwhelming 88 per cent of Thais stated this option.

The survey results also suggest that many travellers find visa application processes complex, with one in 10 saying they had made errors with applications and a further 9 per cent saying they had a visa application rejected.

Eighty eight per cent of Thai respondents said visa issues influenced their decision on a vacation destination. In line with their demand for more hassle-free travel options, Thai respondents named Japan as their No 1 vacation destination (attracting an 80-per-cent vote). Japan since July has exempted Thai visitors from having to obtain a visa for a stay of up to 15 days.

In addition, 90 per cent of survey respondents want their government to establish visa-free agreements with more countries, especially the United States (the next most in-demand destination, with 10 per cent of votes). Closer to home, 90 per cent expressed support for a common visa system across Southeast Asia.

“The numbers tell a clear story – Thai travellers love the new visa-free agreement between Japan and Thailand, and they don’t want it to end any time soon. They also want more arrangements with other countries, especially a common visa system across Southeast Asia,” said Skyscanner’s marketing manager for Thailand, Grace Pobpapha Areerat.