#Globalmobility

In a dramatic shift echoing across the tourism and diplomatic landscapes, China has introduced sweeping visa-free access for citizens from over 70 countries, seeking to reinvigorate its travel sector and global engagement. Meanwhile, the United States—especially under the influence of former President Donald Trump’s ongoing views—has moved in the opposite direction, rolling out new restrictions, higher fees, and bans affecting travelers from a growing list of nations. These divergent paths are not only defining the international tourism recovery post-pandemic, but also symbolizing larger trends in global openness and isolationism—raising questions on what this means for Thai travelers, the region, and the future of cross-border mobility.

A global shift in travel policy is reshaping planning for work, study, and holidays among Thai readers. China has broadened visa-free access to 74 countries for stays up to 30 days, part of a drive to revive tourism and strengthen people-to-people ties. By contrast, the United States is tightening entry rules with higher visa fees and shorter visa validity in many cases. The divergence underscores changing attitudes toward openness and borders, with direct implications for Thai students, workers, and vacationers.

A sharp drop in IDP Education’s shares signals a broader shift in global student mobility. The Australian-headquartered education services giant warned it could see a steep decline in placement volumes as governments tighten visa rules. The market reacted quickly, with shares tumbling by almost half at one point. The ahead-of-year outlook also anticipates a drop in IELTS testing volumes, a key step for visa and admissions processes. For Thai students and families, the news adds fresh uncertainty as outbound study plans rely on stable cross-border pathways.

Shares of IDP Education, the Australian-headquartered international student placement giant, plummeted as much as 48 percent after the company announced it was bracing for a steep decline in student placement volumes, warning investors that tightening government visa rules are upending the market for cross-border education Reuters, Investing.com. The warning, issued on June 3, reverberated not just through financial markets but across the global higher education sector—including Thailand, a country with a fast-growing cohort of outbound students and deepening ties to international universities.