Malaysia's News Straits Times newspaper published an article on January 22 praising Vietnam's visa-free tourism policy.
The New Straits Times newspaper published the article. Photo: Hang Linh/VNA.
Titled “Benefits of Visa Exemption for Tourists,” the article argues that by waiving tourist visa fees and expanding the beneficiaries of this policy, Vietnam has attracted a larger number of tourists than expected.
The article states that more and more countries are now deciding to remove visa requirements for tourists to stimulate tourism.
For authorities, this is a way to promote tourism, while for tourists, this is a way to save time and money.
The article pointed out the attractions that will help Vietnam attract 12.6 million visitors from all over the world in 2023, such as traditional pho, floating markets in the Mekong Delta, the mountainous region of Sapa and the ancient capital of Hue.
The article emphasized that in order to attract more tourists than expected in 2023, Vietnam has implemented a visa exemption policy for tourists and expanded the scope of beneficiaries of this policy.
Specifically, Vietnam has simplified entry procedures on the online system and extended the stay period to 90 days compared to the previous 30 days.
In addition, Vietnam also exempts entry visas for 13 countries and increases the length of stay from 15 days to 45 days, including Germany, South Korea, France, UK, Italy, Spain, etc.
Therefore, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the number of tourists from Spain increased by 90%, from Italy by 68%, from the UK by 48.6% and from France by 52%.
The article argues that this policy has made it easier for tourists to choose their next destination, which is also part of a long-term approach.
At the end of the article, the author concludes that visa exemption is considered a policy to stimulate economic growth of each country.
For tourists, this policy is an incentive to explore and plan a future vacation.
