Thailand to waive visa fees for Chinese tourists

Thailand will waive visa fees for tourists from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan from August through October, people.com.cn reported.

The Thailand visa fee is 230 yuan ($37).

The initiative, announced by the Shanghai office of Thailand’s tourism authority, aims to attract more tourists from China, which is Thailand’s largest source of inbound tourists.

The Thai tourism authority also launched shopping campaign with large discounts.

Thailand’s tourism industry has been hurt by the country’s domestic turbulence of the past few months. The number of Chinese tourists to Thailand in May and June was only 326,000, while more than 700,000 Chinese tourists visited Thailand in the same period last year, according to the Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of the Chinese embassy in Thailand.

“This will definitely boost the tourism industry in Thailand,” said Li Zhi, general manager of Southeast Asia center at China CYTS Tours Holding Co, Ltd.

“I think many ambivalent Chinese tourists will decide to go. We expect Thailand tours will reach a peak during the October Golden Week.”

Li said tourism to Thailand is regaining its popularity among Chinese tourists now that the political situation has settled down. Last month, more than 800 people visited Thailand through Li’s company.