TAIPEI (TVBS News) — An official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) distributed free Internet cards at Taoyuan International Airport on Friday (Nov. 10) to mark the launch of Thailand's new 30-day visa-free policy for Taiwanese tourists.
TAT Taipei Director Sarima Chindamat said that the Thai government is optimistic about the initiative, which is set to run until May 2024, and aims to increase the number of Taiwanese visitors to Thailand by 20%. This year, approximately 600,000 Taiwanese tourists have visited Thailand, and officials are hoping to see that number rise to at least 725,000 by the end of 2023.
The announcement of the visa-free policy led to a 30% surge in Thailand-related searches on travel websites, indicating a growing interest among Taiwanese in visiting the Southeast Asian country. The policy also eliminates visa fees, which typically range from NT＄1,200 to over NT＄10,000.
In response to this policy, travel agencies and airlines are offering special deals for the November 11th Single's Day shopping holiday. These include round-trip tickets from Taipei to Bangkok, with some fares as low as NT＄5,000 and most under NT＄10,000, for travel in February and March of next year.
According to Taiwan's Tourism Bureau, from January to September this year, the most popular overseas travel destinations for Taiwanese citizens were Japan, mainland China, South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand.
