Thailand says it will grant a visa-on-arrival fee waiver to tourists from 21 countries and regions.
According to the announcement on the Royal Gazette, from November 15 to January 13, 2019, citizens of the countries including China will be exempted from the 60 US dollars visa-on-arrival fee for the purpose of touring in Thailand not more than 15 days.
Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, said on Tuesday that the visa fee exemption was made to boost falling tourist numbers over the peak New Year holiday season, especially for visitors from China, the kingdom’s largest tourism market.
Tourism takes up about 20 per cent of the country’s economic growth.
Chinese tourists contribute about one-third of the country’s total foreign arrivals.
Thailand has seen a nine per cent drop in the number of Chinese tourists in the third quarter after a 25 per cent increase in the first two quarters year-on-year.
