Southeast Asia on the brink of a tourism revolutionThailand to launch “Six Countries, One Destination” initiative

Thailand is intensifying efforts to boost regional travel by advancing its "Six Countries, One Destination" tourism initiative, targeting seamless cross-border experiences across six ASEAN member states by the end of 2025.

The "Six Countries, One Destination" campaign is designed to create a unified tourism network between Thailand and six ASEAN countries yet to be announced.

Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam have already joined, although the name of the sixth country has not yet been announced. It is believed that one of the countries, Laos or Myanmar, could join Thailand's initiative.

It aims to simplify travel logistics, promote shared cultural experiences, and position Southeast Asia as a premier global travel destination. A joint working group will be established to oversee the coordination of infrastructure, logistics, and marketing strategies.

Participating ASEAN nations will maintain close diplomatic communication to ensure the smooth rollout of the programme. Thailand has set a target to launch the campaign in the fourth quarter of 2025, beginning with those countries ready to operationalise the initiative.

Under this campaign, if a tourist wants to travel to Thailand and Cambodia among the designated countries, he/she will not have to apply for a tourist visa for Thailand and Cambodia separately. Instead, he/she will have to apply for a visa for any one of the countries.

At the same time, it will not be necessary to obtain a re-entry permit to return to a country within the visa zone after visiting another country.

The Thai government has not yet finalized the process of including regional partners in its plan, so specific details are not yet known. How visitors will apply for the visa, how long it will be valid for, how much it will cost, whether there will be multiple versions of the visa, and other important details are still unclear.

Thailand's new regional visa campaign aims to encourage tourism. It is hoped that by simplifying the process of obtaining tourist visas for all participating members, it will attract more tourists.

If tourists can visit multiple countries in Southeast Asia without having to apply for multiple visas through multiple governments and embassies, they will be more likely to choose the region as their preferred destination.

The introduction of this visa initiative will increase visitor arrivals to Southeast Asia, benefiting the tourism economy of each member state and bringing greater visibility to the region.

Overall, it is hoped that over time this initiative will deepen relations between all member states. This regional visa program will pave the way for improved transport connectivity and economic cooperation between Thailand and its neighbors.

The benefits of this project

Under this initiative, tourists will be able to easily travel from one specific country to another if they wish, and there will be opportunities to have many interesting travel experiences.

Ship travel

Singapore, Penang in Malaysia, Phuket in Thailand, and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam—all will be connected together on a luxury cruise.

Heritage Tour

Opportunities to explore cultures from different countries; such as Peranakan culture, Buddhist architecture, and historic cities.

Food Travel

An opportunity to travel from one country to another and enjoy traditional and delicious food.

Traveling by car

Tourists can travel to certain countries by car if they wish.

Seasonal festivals

There will be special travel arrangements during the festival, so that the special cultures of the countries can be seen up close.

Visas will be easier

Under this project, the countries plan to introduce a kind of joint visa. So that one can travel to all participating countries with a single visa. This will be similar to Europe's Schengen visa. In addition, there will be special fast-track entry lanes at immigration checkpoints, which will make travel more comfortable.

Special packages and opportunities

This project will include special hotel and restaurant packages, where tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy world-class food and stay in renowned hotels. Tourists will be able to enjoy all these benefits together in one package.

When did it start?

The campaign will be launched by the end of this year. Countries that are ready will join the plan first. A joint committee has been formed to oversee and implement the entire plan.

Thailand's 'Six Countries, One Destination' initiative will not only benefit tourists, but will also strengthen friendship, cultural exchange and economic ties between the participating countries.

If this campaign is successful, traveling around Southeast Asia will be easier, more beautiful and more memorable.