Asian Trails’ Middle East and Indian Market Manager for Cambodia Jitender Singh Rathore attended the inaugural Cambodia-India Tourism Year 2024 event in New Delhi, India on 17 June 2024.

The occasion marked the start of a year-long celebration to foster cultural and tourism ties between the two nations and it also coincided with the first Cambodia Angkor Air flight between the two nations’ respective capitals of Phnom Penh and New Delhi.

The new air route paves the way for more convenient connections between the two countries, which will further enhance cross-cultural collaborations and boost tourism. The flights are scheduled to depart four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Cambodian and Indian tourism officials united to express their commitment to facilitating improved travel between the two countries and they discussed the launch of exclusive travel packages and collaborative tourism projects.
For expert travel advice or to plan a trip, contact Asian Trails Cambodia.

The Thai government has scrapped a plan to implement a 300 baht (US$8) tourism fee for international visitors arriving by air.

The fee was proposed by the country’s previous administration in 2023 to cover medical costs for uninsured tourists injured while on holiday in the kingdom. A proportion was also to ‘be used to manage and develop tourism’.

A government statement said the elimination of the fee could encourage higher tourist spending in other areas, providing a more substantial boost to the economy. Thailand has recently introduced various incentives to boost visitor arrivals, including offering extended tourist visas for longer stays.

For the latest travel advice or to enquire about a booking, contact Asian Trails Thailand.

A new rail link between Bangkok and Vientiane is on track with a trial run set for July 2024, according to the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

SRT executives held talks with their counterparts in Laos recently to discuss the launch of the service between Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand Station and Vientiane’s Khamsavath Station.

A successful trial has already been conducted between Udon Thani and Nong Khai stations, in Northern Thailand with Thanalaeng and Vientiane stations in Laos on 21 May 2024, but the test earmarked for 12-13 July 2024 will involve a run of the entire route. The SRT has provided training to Lao railway staff in station management, train operations and ticket sales.

For the latest updates about the rail service or travel advice in the region, contact our teams at Asian Trails Laos and Asian Trails Thailand.

The first direct flight between Spain and Thailand has touched down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The Iberojet plane, carrying 360 passengers from Madrid, landed on 31 May 2024, after taking off from the Spanish capital on the previous evening at 9.45 pm local time and arriving in Bangkok at 3.15 pm Thai time.

Flight E9845 will operate weekly services from Madrid to Bangkok between May and December 2024, using a 432-seat Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The new direct air route will open up more convenient connections between Spain and Thailand, allowing Spanish travellers easier access to the kingdom’s enticing attractions.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to expand its partnership with Iberojet to ease travel to Thailand for new markets, including South America and Africa.

To align with Iberojet’s new weekly arrivals, Asian Trails has teamed up with Travelplan to deliver a series of immersive Thailand tour programmes especially designed for leisure travellers. Tours depart every Friday. For more information or to make a booking, contact Asian Trails Thailand.

Thailand will offer visa-free travel to travellers from 93 countries from 1 June 2024.

This is an increase from the previous 57 countries’ citizens able to enter the kingdom without a visa for stays of up to 60 days.

Countries newly added to the list include Laos, Albania, Cambodia, China, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Panama, Romania, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan, among others. The government also approved visa-on-arrival for 31 countries, up from 19 previously.

A new ‘Destination Thailand’ visa will accommodate digital nomads, remote workers and freelancers who want to work and visit tourist destinations through five-year visas valid for stays of up to 180 days and extendable for another 180 days. The regulation was previously only two stays of 30 days each.

The new entry regulations are expected to boost tourism, a sector which accounts for 12 per cent of Thailand’s GDP, according to government data.

For expert travel advice, contact our team at Asian Trails Thailand.

The Rainforest World Music Festival returns in June with another three-day line-up of outstanding musical performances, workshops, cultural displays and celebrations of Malaysian cuisine.

Held in Sarawak, the 27th edition of this annual event celebrates the diversity of world music. Global artists will present a variety of musical styles and genres, ranging from traditional to contemporary and fusion sounds. The rainforest setting and stunning views of nearby Mount Santubong add exceptional enchantment to this special occasion.

Using music to convey culture, the Rainforest presents the perfect opportunity to experience the cultural and natural wonders of Malaysia’s largest state. Sarawak is home to over 34 ethnic tribes, some of the world’s oldest rainforests and a kaleidoscope of tribal traditions, lifestyles, music and unique food.

Visitors can enjoy the festival while undergoing exploration of Borneo’s abundant pristine beaches and towering mountainous landscape. The festival runs from 28th to 30th June 2024 at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching. To plan an itinerary around this event, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

Arrivals can expect smoother entry into Malaysia from 1 June 2024 as the list of foreign nationals permitted to use on-arrival autogates will be increased.

An additional 36 countries will be able to use the service at all entry points, including visitors from the European Union, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, China, Canada, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

This brings the total number of eligible countries to 46, as travellers from the US, UK, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Brunei and Saudi Arabia can already use this system implemented to speed up the immigration process, without compromising security.

Malaysia’s Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that 40 million tourists arrived in the country between January 2023 and April 2024, with the majority entering via Kuala Lumpur International Airport and key entry points in Johor. Further initiatives to expediate entry are under review.

For advice about entry into Malaysia, contact Asian Trails Malaysia.

Travellers from India and Taiwan continue to enjoy visa-free travel in Thailand after the Thai government extended the 30-day visa exemption for the two countries.

Since November last year, Indian and Taiwanese visitors staying in the kingdom for up to 30 days have been able to avoid the hassle of obtaining a visa. The visa exemption programme, initially due to expire in early May, has been extended for another six months, until 11 November 2024.

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry estimates that the extended visa waiver will boost tourism revenue with around 1.55 million Indian and 700,000 Taiwanese visitors expected to visit the kingdom over the next six months.

To plan a journey to Thailand or to enquire about current entry requirements, contact Asian Trails Thailand.

Cruise passengers arriving at designated cruise ports in China can now take advantage of a new 15-day visa-free entry scheme.

Announced on 15 May 2024, the new regulation permits passengers travelling in a tour group to visit China’s coastal provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and Beijing without a visa. To be eligible for this scheme, travellers must stay no more than 15 days and enter via one of 13 ports, including Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and Sanya.

The visa-free policy is applicable only to tour groups organised or received by a certified Chinese travel agency, such as Asian Trails China. The group must consist of at least two international tourists.

Additionally, seven cruise ports, namely Dalian, Lianyungang, Wenzhou, Zhoushan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Beihai, have been designated as visa-free transit ports for nationals from 54 countries.

With a coastline stretching 18,000 km, China is an attractive stop for international cruise liners. The country’s steadily improving port infrastructure, combined with abundant tourism resources and rapid service industry growth all contribute to the sector’s growth.

The new visa-free entry policy will make China shore excursions more appealing and allow travellers to experience more of the country’s cultural wonders. For more details, contact our team at Asian Trails China.

China has extended visa-free travel for citizens of 12 countries until 31 December 2025.

Passport holders of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland can continue to enjoy visa exempt status when staying up to 15 days for tourism, business, family visiting friends and family or transit.

The visa exemption policies were first introduced in November 2023 and March 2024 with the initial expiry date of 30 November 2024. The 13-month extension is likely to enhance confidence and boost tourism in the country as eligible travellers have more time to plan their visa-free China trip.

In addition, China travel is set to become even more convenient and affordable with the expansion of international travel routes. The first direct flights between Shanghai and Marseille will take off on 2 July 2024 while flights between China and Bahrain will begin on 28 May 2024. Flights between China and Mexico will resume on 11 May 2024.

As always, our team is ready to assist in planning amazing journeys across China. For more information and up-to-date travel advice, reach out to Asian Trails China.