Tourism sector moves to optimise new visa policy

Foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: doanhnhansaigon.vn)

Hanoi - The new visa policy, coming into force on August 15, is believed to open up various opportunities for tourism development, and stakeholders in this industry are taking actions to seize those chances.

The National Assembly approved the law amending and supplementing some articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Foreigners’ Entry into, Exit from, Transit through and Residence in Vietnam in late June.

Under this law, the e-visa validity period is extended to 90 days from 30 days. Within 90 days after the e-visa is granted, foreigners can enter and exit Vietnam for unlimited times and without having to apply for new visas. The law also permits citizens of the countries entitled to Vietnam’s unilateral visa exemption to be granted a temporary residence period of 45 days, instead of 15 days like in the past, and have visa granting and temporary residence extension considered in line with regulations.

As soon as the law was adopted in late June and took effect on August 15, foreigners’ searches for Vietnamese tourism have soared.

Online travel platform Agoda recorded in mid-July a surge of 33% in the number of searches by international travellers planning long holidays in Vietnam compared to the two weeks before that.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director for marketing and communications of Vietluxtour, said the new visa policy provides a chance for businesses to diversify tourism products and improve service quality to attract visitors. The company has received orders from partners in Europe, the US, and Northeast Asia for the tours between the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.

Nguyen Xuan Quynh, CEO of Allez Voyage – a company specialising in the French and US market, held that the new visa policy will serve as an impetus for businesses to launch new products meeting tourists’ demand for long holidays.

He called on the Government to expand the new visa policy’s coverage to more countries, and localities to improve the quality of services to draw more international visitors.

Phung Quang Thang, Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents, said the new visa policy is just a factor of tourists’ travel decisions. To encourage them to stay here longer and spend more, the sector should design new products and tours suiting long-stay travellers such as tours combing destinations in Vietnam and neighbouring Laos and Cambodia.

To prepare for the expected surge in international arrivals this year and foster tourism development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has taken many steps.

Notably, it has approved a strategy for tourism marketing by 2030 and a plan on some night-time tourism models. It also held a conference on August 15 to disseminate the new documents so as to help speed up tourism recovery and development.

Deputy Minister Doan Van Viet said units and localities should grasp chances generated by the new visa policy to make tourism development breakthroughs and quickly increase international visitors to Vietnam.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi Tourism Department and the city’s investment, trade and tourism promotion centre have implemented many measures to attract foreign tourists, including developing night-time and experience tourism products.

Local agencies and businesses are also planning to major cultural and tourism events from now to the year’s end such as an autumn festival, an “ao dai” tourism festival, and a gift festival.

Ministry seeks resumption of pre-pandemic visa waiver policy for tourists The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has proposed the Government resumes pre-pandemic waivers of visas for tourists from 24 countries when the country restarts international tourism.

Visa upgrade at heart of fresh approach to tourism Vietnam’s tourism industry is expected to surpass its goal of welcoming eight million foreign visitors this year, if visa policies are updated and length of stay options adjusted.

Vietnam’s new e-visa policy draws attention of foreign tourists The policy of renewing the e-visa with its duration to 90 days for tourists coming to Vietnam is gradually approaching its effective date of August 15, 2023, attracting the attention of the tourism industry both at home and abroad.