Expansion of Visa Exemption Benefits Vietnam Tourism: Experts

Passengers at check-in counters in Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: VNA

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on February 15 issued Directive No. 06/CT-TTg, asking the Ministry of Public Security to consider waiving visas for more countries based on the new situation and Vietnam’s relations with those countries.

Vietnam already waives visas for travelers from 25 countries, including 13 entitled to unilateral exemption, namely Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus.

Since mid-August 2023, the country has been issuing e-visas to all foreign arrivals and extending the temporary residence period from 30 to 90 days, with unlimited entries and exits, according to Viet Nam News.

The temporary residence period for foreigners entering the country under unilateral visa exemption has been increased to 45 days.

According to the head of the Secretariat of the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) Hoang Nhan Chinh, reforming visa policy is a reasonable approach and a common trend that regional countries are taking to attract tourists after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The further expansion of the visa exemption policy will help the tourism industry diversify the markets, increase the number of international tourists to Vietnam, and encourage them to stay and spend more in the country, he said, as cited by VietnamPlus.

Foreign tourists visiting Ngọc Sơn Temple at Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hà Nội in February 2024. Photo: VNA

Besides the possible increase in revenue and jobs, the policy is also expected to help raise the number of air passengers, facilitate international trade exchanges, and attract more foreign investors to Vietnam.

Chinh said that Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore - Vietnam's three major competitors in Southeast Asia – are striving to attract tourists, including by creating favorable conditions for tourists to enter their countries.

So far, Thailand has exempted visas for citizens from 76 countries, Malaysia 156 countries, and Singapore 162 countries.

Chinh said that since the middle of August 2023, Vietnam has adjusted its visa policy which creates more favorable conditions to attract foreign tourists.

The volume of international arrivals in Vietnam is forecast to increase in 2024. In photo: Golden Bridge in the central city of Da Nang. Photo: VNA

However, when applying for an e-visa to Vietnam, tourists still have to spend a lot of time providing personal information and waiting for approval.

Strict requirements and time-consuming procedures a major hurdles to foreign tourists when they plan to visit a country, Chinh said, adding that a better visa policy will make Vietnam more attractive to visitors.

It is a short-term solution to widen the door to attract international tourist markets besides medium- and long-term solutions to internal problems of the tourism industry such as promotion, digital marketing, product diversity, destination management, and human resource development, he said./.

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