The Thai government’s decision to extend visa-free entry for Indian tourists by an additional six months is expected to lift arrival numbers from India.
First introduced last year and originally set to expire on May 10, 2024, the visa exemption will now remain in place until November 11.
Thailand’s prime minister Srettha Thavisin made the announcement following a cabinet meeting earlier this week. The programme allows Indian passport-holders to stay up to 30 days per visit to Thailand.
Naveen Nahar, director, Travelz Factorry, told TTG Asia that the initial announcement had led to a 15 per cent increase in enquiries for travel to Thailand.
“With this recent extension, interest (in Thailand) is expected to keep rising. This decision is also likely to attract first-time travellers to choose Thailand over others,” he added.
Indian airlines have responded with plans to boost frequencies on popular routes. IndiGo, for instance, will increase its flights between Delhi and Phuket from 7 to 14 per week starting June 1. Air India will introduce a second daily service on the Delhi-Phuket route, also commencing June 1.
“The demand for Thailand in India is growing for leisure, MICE and wedding verticals. We have also seen female groups from India travelling to Thailand for celebrations. Extending the visa exemption scheme, coupled with deals and offers for Indian travellers, will further help Thailand to penetrate the Indian market,” said Aditya Tyagi, founder, Luxe Escape.
Last year, Thailand welcomed 1.62 million visitors from India, making it the kingdom’s fourth largest market. Overall, Thailand recorded over 28 million tourist arrivals in 2023.
