Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam -- all on a single tourist visa.
Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam -- all on a single tourist visa.
TOURISTS COULD SEE S-E.ASIA ON SINGLE VISA
AFP
JAKARTA (AFP) - Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam -- all on a single tourist visa.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working on a plan that would open the region to foreign tourists in the same way Europe's unified visa system has streamlined travel.
"You would just have to apply for one visa and you could then visit all the countries using that visa," said Eddy Krisneidi, an official at the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, which recently released its Tourism Strategic Plan for the next five years.
With attractions ranging from jungle-covered temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia to five-star beach resorts in Bali, Southeast Asia is a region that tempts travellers from all walks of life.
ASEAN countries recorded more than 65 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2009. Malaysia led the field, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.
Analysts say visitor numbers could be boosted by slashing the time-consuming and confusing visa requirements for each of ASEAN's 10 countries, which range from vibrant developing democracies to isolated, military-dominated Myanmar.
While some allow foreigners to simply purchase visas on arrival, others require wads of paperwork, photos and up to a week to issue the required stamp.
"One of the major concerns of the industry, as well as visitors, is the difficulty of obtaining visas, a series of widely differing regulations and information needs for visas," ASEAN's strategic plan states.
It is a view shared by Stuart McDonald, who runs an online travel forum for Southeast Asia.
"One of the most common questions that we see on travelfish.org is people asking visa questions: What kind of visa can I get? How long is it valid for? What does it cost?," said the Australian who travels extensively in Asia.
"The rules change all the time and it introduces a level of uncertainty and confusion that the industry can do without."
The concept of a single visa has wide support among tourism bodies across Southeast Asia.
"It would definitely benefit all the countries in this region, especially Thailand," Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, noting that Thailand is a "good strategic location" for overland travelling as it acts as a bridge to other countries.
Svetasreni said it is only a matter of time until the region's visa system is liberalised.
"ASEAN will be considered as a single destination, so it makes sense to apply for a single visa to travel to any country in ASEAN," he said.
Despite its appeal, others are less optimistic that a single visa will become a reality anytime soon.
"Travel procedures have to be simplified but it is not going to be easy because each country may have their own foreign policy," Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel inbound tourism vice president Arul Das said.
ASEAN is yet to outline the cost or length of stay for its planned single tourist visa. But it acknowledges it could take several years to introduce.
"The establishment of such a visa will not likely occur in the next five years due to barriers of technology, political issues, concerns of sovereignty and security and the different visa systems in the member states," its strategic plan states.
The single visa is one of several initiatives being worked on by ASEAN to boost tourism in the region.
The organisation is also overseeing the creation of regional tourism standards which would apply to things such as accommodation, food and public toilets.
"There are already clear indications that major tour operators are now very much concerned with a wide range of standards in a destination," the plan states.
"Those destinations that are able to satisfy those increasingly high standards will have a distinct position of advantage."
given the relationships between Thailand and Cambodia . . . I cannot see this happening; all very well for the ASEAN people to think it's good idea, but the political practicalities are not so simple.
may have their own foreign policy? they do, and that won't change in a hurry. And then there are the variations in length of stay, eg when we go to Malaysia I get a 90 day stamp, gf gets 30. A 30 day one wouldn't be enough to see all the countries mentioned, but countries have individual policies on travelers from specific countries. And who would govern/collect the fees?Originally Posted by genghis61
dreaming i think
Last edited by genghis61; 17-03-2011 at 05:16 PM.
^yep, aint going to happen in our lifetimes.
The amount of money people in power are making with the current structure, forget it.
From what I hear there's up to 200 people a day travel to Laos just on visa runs. Most pay $35 just to get into Laos. That's up to $7,000 a day. Over 2.5 million $ p/a. Just from that one crossing. No way individual powers are going to give up their honeypot, even if it does cost them 'Asean tax' for rules not to be introduced.
And where would you do your visa run when your Asean visa expires?
Wont hold my breath. Even if it would come into effect i would imagine something like max 30 days/country which is all a "tourist" needsThe establishment of such a visa will not likely occur in the next five years due to barriers of technology, political issues, concerns of sovereignty and security and the different visa systems in the member states," its strategic plan states.
Ditto for Indonesia. They won't give up their cash-grab. (and its about the cash, not security - the country breeds its own terrorists for export).
No country will trust each other to share the revenue.
There is of course no logical reason why a "Visa" should even be necessary for tourists. These countries have nothing to feel special about.
Special breeds with special needs.Originally Posted by The_Ghost_Of_The_Moog
exactly, it's just another money making business and a source of revenue for their expensive overseas Embassy and ConsulateOriginally Posted by The_Ghost_Of_The_Moog
The funny thing is that most tourists I know (including myself) don't really mind paying $20 to $50 for a visa. Just sell it to me on arrival, don't make me go to the embassy and get one in advance.
Guess I'm trying to say I have more spare money than spare patience for bureaucratic idiots.
This would only work with countries that are prepared to share intelligence info.....eg, info on individual applicants........great idea from the consumer end ......but it will make the immigration machine shrink in each country and its hard to image that happening soon!
Thai Gov is catching on to the baby boom flight to retirement $$$$$$$$$$$
I think this Asian alliance will be keeping close tabs on how much they can grab from us.
ASEAN planning to issue regional visa
วันศุกร์ ที่ 06 พ.ค. 2554
Jakarta, May 6 (ANTARA) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said stakeholders in ASEAN member countries are starting to design a system for the implementation of an ASEAN visa system for the years to come.
He said after accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a meeting with Myanmar` President Thein Sein here on Thursday he said the procedure was expected to be materialized in 2015 in concurrent with the establishment of ASEAN Community.
"It will however take special effort to be able to issue an ASEAN visa because visa regime in each country is different," he said.
ASEAN Visa is a system under which a third party namely a citizen from a country outside ASEAN could come to all ASEAN member countries with his visa to be processed only once.
"It is like in Europe," he said.
He said however that it would still take a long process before it could be realized as adjustment had to be made with visa making procedures in each ASEAN member country.
He said the process of discussion had been ongoing and more than a concept is a free-visa facility for all ASEAN member countries.
"It has become more than a concept for ASEAN member countries although it is not full. The foundation is still a bilateral agreement. Although the concept is for all ASEAN member countries it is still based upon bilateral agreements," he said.
mcot.net
Don't believe the monkeys will be capable of implementing such a scheme, in anything close to a competent manner.
Except it'll be done by monkeys."It is like in Europe," he said.
Don't think the Thais will like or even understand the concept of being an ASEAN member.
Like that alcohol free trade agreement that was introduced, just before they went to add a 'health tax' on all imported beer to make up for it.
For several months now there has been Beer Lao in Tops, 45 baht for the light, 65 baht for the dark (sml bottles), I wonder how much the health tax is on each item?
Love the Dark Beer Lao but it's a bit heavy in the morning.
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