Thailand is apparently contemplating suggesting the establishment of a Schengen-like area in Southeast Asia with the aim of enticing a greater number of affluent tourists to the region.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has reportedly proposed the “Pan-Southeast Asian Zone” concept to leaders in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. These nations have engaged in extensive discussions regarding the initiative over the past few months.
The proposal entails creating a region that resembles the European Union’s zone of unrestricted travel. This would allow tourists to journey without visas across the six neighboring countries, thereby increasing the potential revenue per tourist, as stated by Thavisin. Although the report does not specify the current stage of the discussions, most leaders have expressed their support for this concept.
For years, there has been ongoing deliberation regarding the establishment of a zone similar to Schengen in the region. In 2011, ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) unveiled its intentions to develop a unified visa system for seamless travel. However, progress was impeded by substantial disparities in the visa regulations of member-states.
Implementing a single visa scheme today could be quite challenging, as it would necessitate coordinating approvals across different countries with varying immigration criteria. Unlike the European Union, where standardized criteria are in place, it might be more feasible to gradually introduce a visa-free scheme on a country-by-country basis.
If implemented properly, the program has the potential to bring positive outcomes not just for the local tourism sector, but also for business trips and commerce.
According to official data, the total number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2023 was reported to be 70 million by the six countries. It is worth noting that Thailand and Malaysia together contributed to over 50% of these arrivals.
ourism plays a significant role in Thailand’s economy, contributing approximately 12% to the nation’s GDP of nearly $500 billion. In 2023, the country experienced a 20% increase in foreign tourist arrivals, reaching over 27 million, the highest post-COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Bangkok aims to elevate this figure to 80 million by 2027 in order to enhance revenue generated from the tourism sector.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Thailand is apparently contemplating suggesting the establishment of a Schengen-like area in Southeast Asia with the aim of enticing a greater number of affluent tourists to the region.
- Unlike the European Union, where standardized criteria are in place, it might be more feasible to gradually introduce a visa-free scheme on a country-by-country basis.
- According to official data, the total number of foreign tourist arrivals in 2023 was reported to be 70 million by the six countries.