Thailand announces longer visa stays for Georgian tourists

Visitors from 93 countries, including Georgia, can double the length of their stays in Thailand after the government extended visa-free travel to 60 days.

The extension also includes leisure and business travelers from the U.S., most of Europe including the U.K., and all of Thailand's fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations except Myanmar.

It also extends to China, whose mutual 30-day visa waivers with Thailand came into effect in March.

Nationals from target markets India, Kazakhstan, Russia and Saudi Arabia, who receive visas on arrival, are also eligible for 60-day stays.

The change comes as the Tourism Authority of Thailand set its revenue target for 2025 from foreign and domestic tourists combined at $94.1 billion.

Decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic and disappointed by the lackluster return of Chinese tourists, Thailand has tried to diversify its inbound tourism markets, targeting countries like India and Russia and high-spending visitors from the Middle East.

Thailand is aiming to attract 38 million foreign tourists this year - 2 million less than the pre-pandemic record of 40 million.

In addition to the tourist and business visa changes, foreign students at Thai universities will be allowed to stay for one year to seek work or travel within the kingdom.