Single Visa for 10 Southeast Asian Nations
Travellers could soon be able to surf in Bali in the Morning, shop in Singapore in the Evening and eat spicy street food Dinner 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
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