Top holiday destination introduces mandatory new requirement for all foreign visitors from tomorrow
HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to the white beaches and exotic luscious greenery of a popular British tourist destination will face a new entry requirement from tomorrow.
In an attempt to digitise the immigration process, streamline arrivals and enhance security measures, excited tourists now have to fill out a digital form before travelling.
4
4
Following a tourism boost after one of the most hotly discussed TV shows used its scenery as a set, the country has decided to replace its old-fashioned paper system with a slick new digital travel card.
Thailand's iconic beaches have received an influx of White Lotus fans recent months.
But travellers should know they need to fill out the online form 72 hours before you jet off for a spontaneous trip- so get on it!
Avoid a characteristic White Lotus-style mishap and fill out the form well in advance to avoid delays.
The move replaces the conventional paper-based TM6 arrival card with an online form called the TDAC which can be found on the Thai immigration bureau's official website.
It records basic personal information, passport details, travel itinerary, Thai lodging address and a basic health declaration.
This will then be connected to Thailand's biometric database to improve security screening for tourists whether tourists are travelling by land, air or sea.
Thai bureaucrats hope the move will allow them to crack down on human and narcotics trafficking and gather public health information.
After seasons one and two of the critically acclaimed show, locations Hawaii and Siciliy saw a 300% year-on-year surge in tourism, nicknamed the 'White Lotus Effect.'
The third season of the Emmy Award-winning HBO show shows off the landscapes of Koh Sumai, as well as better-known destinations such as Bangkok and Phuket.
4
Koh Samui Island has, since the third series aired in January, already seen a 44% rise in hotel reservations and an 88% increase in searches according to the Bangkok Post.
Searches linked to Thailand travel significantly increased in the US, UK, Germany, France and Israel with searches for Koh Samui accommodations up 65% since January 2025.
The country's tourism authority is hoping that the 'White Lotus Effect' will bump its tourism revenue back to pre-pandemic levels from 1.8trn baht ($53.5bn) to 3trn ($82.3bn) baht of revenue.
After predictable initial teething problems, as many travellers may not realise the system has changed, the hope is that the new digital rollout will become a 'fast pass to paradise,' making the journey almost hassle-free.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Major US fast food chain to open in Heathrow airport
Heathrow Airport has announced plans to open a new Five Guys restaurant, in a European first. Set to launch in Terminal 5 – which has been temporarily renamed 'Terminal Five Guys' for the occasion – the popular American chain is making its debut at the UK's busiest airport later in 2025. Five Guys opened its first UK restaurant back in 2013, but this will mark its first venture into any airport in either the UK or Europe. Located on the terminal's upper level, the 2,500-square-foot burger joint is expected to seat around 90 diners, as well as offering a takeaway service for travellers on the go. With opening times spanning from the first to last flight each day, it'll also feature a special menu tailored to passengers dealing with jet lag and navigating time zone shifts. Although the exact details have yet to be revealed, the chain has confirmed that breakfast options will be available to order throughout the day, alongside Five Guys' signature burgers, hot dogs and hand-cut fries. The restaurant is expected to create between 80 and 100 new jobs, and will include ordering kiosks in six languages. 'We are thrilled to be opening a brand new Five Guys at Heathrow Terminal 5 this year,' John Eckbert, CEO of Five Guys UK said. 'Having opened over 170 restaurants across the UK since we first launched back in 2013, the brand has established itself as one of the nation's favourites for premium burgers. 'Now Five Guys is cementing itself at the UK's busiest travel hub; we are excited to be providing our delicious menu to travellers as part of their journeys.' The American fast food chain was founded in Virginia in 1986 and opened its first UK location in Covent Garden in 2013. Travellers can find the restaurant at several major US airports and Dubai International Airport, which opened last year to become the first Five Guys airport location outside North America. More Trending Heathrow saw around 81 million passengers pass through in 2024 and is targeting a record 84.2 million in 2025. Terminal 5, the main base for British Airways, is the busiest airport terminal in Europe, and plans for expansion are already underway. Holidaymakers aren't the only ones being treated to new fast food spots though, so you don't need a boarding pass to get your fix. Parisian burger joint Dumbo is opening its first ever UK site very soon, while an Asian dessert chain called Mammy Pancake also hit British shores earlier this month. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: 'Stupid' Apple Pay prank plagues commuters on London Tube MORE: People stuck in 26-storey tower block after lifts broke only offered £100 voucher MORE: Three men appear in court accused of arson attacks on properties linked to Keir Starmer
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Our village was made famous by huge TV show – now busloads of brash tourists block our driveways… nowhere's off-limits
Bus loads of tourists come to see locations from the historical drama series TOURIST TROUBLE Our village was made famous by huge TV show – now busloads of brash tourists block our driveways… nowhere's off-limits Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RESIDENTS of a town made famous by a hit TV show have hit out at brazen tourists who peer through their windows and block their driveways. Bampton in Oxfordshire was made famous by the hit period piece with several locations across the village used in filming. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 5 Locals have been subjected to tourists peering in their windows Credit: Twitter - @markchristie 5 St Mary's church features heavily in the show Credit: David Hartley Locals have said the town, which features in Downton Abbey, has become a magnet for tourism and now attracts thousands of brash visitors a year. Some residents told the Telegraph that the tourism has made them a small fortune and helped to improve local amenities. Others have slammed the tourists, demanding their quant village be freed of "brash American accents." Residents of Bampton have told horror stories of their encounters with tourists. Locals have been subjected to selfie-sticks appearing at bedroom windows, tourists wandering into their back gardens and buses blocking up narrow streets. Guided tours of the village are offered to fans of the hit show with some charging as much as £500. Busloads of fans are taken around the small village to visit filming locations made famous by the British drama series. Local shop owners have claimed at one point they were making £1,000 a day from the tourists. The thousands of pounds raised from visiting TV fans has been used to fund renovation works to buildings. Local services have also been improved using the massive wealth brought into the community. Despite all this locals still hit out saying they've had enough of nosey tourists peering in their windows and obstructing their driveways. One resident told The Telegraph: "My friend overheard a tour guide say that Bampton was nothing before Downton Abbey. "Let me tell you – Bampton was a beautiful, expensive place to live long beforehand." 'I live on the main square and they often stand in my driveway. They just go everywhere.' The small village was used for several scenes in the hit show which ended ten years ago. 5 Highclere castle, the main filming location, is more than forty miles away from Bampton Credit: Getty 5 Tourists pay £500 for guided tours of the towns filming locations Credit: SWNS 5 Bus loads of tourists are brought into the small town Credit: SWNS Even though it has been a decade since the last episode of the original series was aired tourists still flock to Bampton. Locations including St Mary's Church and the Manor House, home to Mrs Crawley in the show, can be found in the small village. The main set for the historical drama, Highclere Castle, is forty miles away. The tiny village has a population of just 2,500 and plays host to two coffee shops, a butcher, a deli, a charity shop, an art gallery, antique store and garden centre. Residents claim that visitors spend most of their time and money in a few select locations, bringing no benefit to the rest of the town. A resident told The Telegraph: "They contribute to the library, but apart from that they don't have enough time. 'We are better off with individual travellers, with families in cars – not the buses. There's so much more to Bampton than Downton Abbey.' The Community Hub receives shedloads of support but according to locals the other shops and businesses are left to fend for themselves.
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Affordable holiday island for Brits with white sand beaches and Dubai-like restaurants that is loved by celebs
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CYPRUS has been an affordable holiday destination for Brits for years, and it's popular with celebrities too. With white sandy beaches, delicious food, and beautiful villas, it's no surprise that one beloved British singer even has a holiday home there. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Holidaymakers and celebrities alike flock to Cyprus every year Credit: Alamy 6 Peter Andre is one of the celebs that frequently visits Cyprus Credit: Instagram Over the years, the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones have been spotted on the sunny island. There have also been lots of British holidaymakers there like Kerry Katona, James Blunt, and Peter Andre - who has a strong connection to Cyprus that 20 years ago, he decided to build his own holiday home there. In the city of Larnaca on the southeast coast of Cyprus, Peter has a villa with five bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court. Talking to Sun Travel about his holiday home in Larnaca, Peter said: "The house is so beautiful and private. Obviously the smells, the foods, it reminds me of my childhood and my parents. Read More on Cyprus GOD TO LOVE PAPHOS European island with 300 days of sunshine and hotels loved by Shakira "I bought the land 20 odd years ago and I said 'dad, here's the money to build it' and my dad spent three years building the most beautiful house. "It's very sentimental to us and the other thing is there are some amazing beaches with bright white sand." As for where to go, Peter added: "I like to go to quiet places. I don't really like to go where it's crazily busy. "The food there is amazing and we love the restaurants. For anyone going to Larnaca, I have three recommendations. One is a new restaurants called Theta in Perivolia which is very near the airport. It does Mediterranean food, but done in the style of a Dubai 5-star restaurant. "We go there and we're like 'why doesn't anyone know about this place?'" Peter also loves to go to a Japanese restaurant called Nippon. All the free activities Cyprus has to offer 6 Peter's Cyprus holiday home has a huge pool with sunbeds Credit: 6 There's even an outdoor kitchen area Credit: He also added: "There's another one called Opa Souvlaki Kiti, it's not fancy, but if you want a proper Greek kebab done the Cypriot way, go there." Peter stayed tight-lipped about the quiet beaches he and his family head to on holiday. But some of the most popular across the island according to Tripadvisor are Nissi Beach, Fig Tree Bay Beach, Coral Bay and Makronissos Beach. For anyone who fancies a trip over to Cyprus, you can even book a stay in Peter's Villa Amelia which is a short drive from Larnaca Airport. Inside is five bedrooms, each one sleeping two people. The rooms have queen beds or single beds, and their own en suites. The shared spaces include huge living area with two sets of sofas, as well as a separate dining and kitchen area. Outside, there's lots of places to relax by the pool or battle it out in a game of tennis. 6 The price of a holiday in Larnaca has dropped compared to last year Credit: Alamy It's a great time to go to Larnaca too as TravelSupermarket revealed earlier this year that the city is cheaper this year compared to 2024. Larnaca, a city on the southeast coast of Cyprus, has emerged as the holiday destination with the biggest price drop. According to TravelSupermarket, the holiday comparison website, prices of a holiday to Larnaca have fallen by £495 per person. The average price in 2024 was £1,292.04 and in 2025 is £797.97 - a 38 per cent decrease. Flights from the UK take just over four hours and you can book flights with Ryanair from £34.99. There's another place a little further afield that Peter described as 'a kids' paradise' - as he discovers the world's most child-friendly holiday destination. And here's the Dubai-like spa hotel in the UK where Peter Andre and wife Emily go on child-free weekends.
