New visa regulations targeting citizens of Southeast Asian countries are expected to attract an additional 280,000 visitors to Taiwan and generate an extra NT$13 billion (US$407 million) for the local tourism industry annually, according to estimates provided July 15 by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Beginning Aug. 1, nationals of Thailand and Brunei will enjoy, on a one-year trial basis, visa-free entry to Taiwan for up to 30 days. Meanwhile, passport holders from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar who have in the past 10 years been granted visas to Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the U.K., the U.S. or the Schengen Area, which covers 36 European countries and territories, will be afforded e-visa entry to Taiwan from Sept. 1.

Announced at a meeting convened by Premier Lin Chuan July 15, the visa regulations are part of the government’s New Southbound Policy, a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the nation’s ties across the board with South and Southeast Asia. Taiwan already grants visa-free entry to passport holders from Malaysia and Singapore, and e-visa privileges to citizens of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and India.

“Through effective government policies, Taiwan is witnessing phenomenal growth in visitor numbers,” said Eric Lin, director of the International Affairs Division of MOTC’s Tourism Bureau. He cited the streamlining of the visa application process for tour groups from India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam in November 2015 as another example of Taiwan’s recent efforts to increase tourism from South and Southeast Asia.

With a population of 67 million, Thailand has shown great potential as a source of tourists to Taiwan, with visitor numbers from the nation rising 40.88 percent year-on-year in the first five months of 2016. To further boost arrivals and establish closer cooperation between the two sides, the Tourism Bureau organized a conference in Taipei City July 7 attended by members of the Thai Travel Agents Association and businesses in the local tourism sector.

In total, Taiwan received approximately 1.4 million travelers from Southeast Asia last year. Mainland China was the top source of visitors to Taiwan with about 4.2 million.

The government has earmarked NT$200 million for 2016 to promote Taiwan as a tourist destination in Southeast Asia and India, up from NT$80 million last year. The funds are being used to place targeted advertisements in print media and public places such as subway stations, develop social media campaigns in various Southeast Asian languages, participate in tourism exhibitions, and create platforms for advancing cooperation between Taiwan businesses and their counterparts abroad, among other measures. (OC-CM)

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