Thai travel agents urge govt to extend visa on arrival arrangements

“The most important measure is the Visa on Arrival (VoA) that allows foreign tourists from 19 countries to enter Thailand without having to get a visa beforehand,” he said. “This measure will expire on April 30, and we want the government to extend it to the end of 2020 to keep the flow of foreign tourists going.”
Wichit added that Atta has also pitched the idea of granting multiple entry visas to Chinese tourists to Ministry of Tourism and Sports. “The Ministry agreed with this idea and is discussing it with Ministry of Foreign Affairs and related agencies,” he said. “Once implemented, we can attract high-end tourists from China to come to Thailand several times a year. These tourists have strong purchasing power and can boost the travel industry as well as generate considerable revenue for local entrepreneurs.”
Popular destinations in Thailand include Bangkok, Samui and Krabi, but next year they will have to compete with Japan and Dubai, which will host world events like the Olympics and the World Expo, added Wichit.
“If the government agrees with the VoA extension and multiple entry visa ideas, they should announce the measures as soon as possible, ideally within January to enable tour entrepreneurs, hotels and airlines to plan their marketing strategy accordingly,” said Wichit. “If the announcement are delayed, our travel partners like Chinese tour operators may direct their clients to other destinations that provide better ease of access.”
Atta estimated that in 2020 numbers of foreign tourists visiting Thailand will increase by 2 million or 5 per cent from this year. “Chinese tourists are still our biggest clients, with an estimated number in 2020 increasing by 500,000 to 1 million from this year's number, which is expected to stand at 11 million,” said Wichit.