The Schengen-style joint visa initiative for six Southeast Asian countries, proposed by Thailand, will be a great opportunity to attract international visitors and increase its competitiveness, insiders said.

In recent months Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been discussing the initiative with his counterparts in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, Bloomberg reported.

The joint visa would enable tourists to explore all six Southeast Asian countries on a single visa.

Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, CEO of Alma Resort Cam Ranh in Nha Trang, said that Vietnamese tourism and the hospitality industry would benefit greatly if the proposal was passed.

"This Schengen-type visa would help address concerns Vietnam is losing out on travelers because of relatively cumbersome visa requirements compared to Thailand and Malaysia," he said.

"Thailand continues to attract higher numbers of tourists than Vietnam, so this visa arrangement could help offset that trend by encouraging more tourists who may otherwise visit only Thailand to also visit Vietnam."

(source)