Tourism is still "waiting" for international visitors.

According to the General Statistics Office, in the first six months of 2022, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 602,000, a decrease of 92.9% compared to the same period in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sharing his views on this issue, Tran The Dung, General Director of Fiditour Travel Joint Stock Company, said that after three months of reopening to international tourists, the majority of international visitors to Vietnam have been small groups or business travelers combining tourism with their trip; there have been no large tour groups. In addition, Vietnam's tourism industry has lost some key markets such as Russia and China due to the pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

In addition, Mr. Phung Quang Thang, Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association, stated that in 2019, Vietnam welcomed nearly 18.1 million international tourists. At that time, China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan (China) accounted for approximately 66% of tourists visiting Vietnam. However, after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, these markets closed down. Currently, only South Korea is gradually reopening to inbound and outbound tourists, while the Japanese market is selective in its target groups, and China, in particular, has not yet allowed its citizens to travel.

"Only when traditional markets in Northeast Asia fully reopen can Vietnam's tourism industry recover," Mr. Phung Quang Thang stated.

Meanwhile, Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, stated that the peak season for international tourists visiting Vietnam typically falls between October of the previous year and March of the following year. Furthermore, international tourists from high-spending markets such as Europe, the US, Japan, and Australia tend to plan their trips well in advance. Since Vietnam has only recently reopened, tourists need time to adjust. This is one of the reasons why the number of international tourists visiting Vietnam has not yet recovered as expected.

A breakthrough visa policy is needed.

In reality, experts, managers, and tourism businesses have found that attracting international tourists to Vietnam after reopening requires attention to many issues such as visas, tourism products, human resources, and promotion.

Accordingly, Lux Group Chairman Pham Ha believes that to attract international tourists, a breakthrough visa policy is needed to develop tourism in the new normal. Specifically, to facilitate tourists, a friendly visa system should be implemented, with easy and simple online visa applications, simpler than visa on arrival (VOA). Airports should offer VIP receptions, encourage tourists to purchase additional premium services, and fast-track visas… tourists will feel welcomed and pay only what they deserve. Currently, 13 countries have visa-free entry for 15 days/single entry, which should be expanded to 30 days, allowing multiple entries, and visa-free entry for target markets. It should also be noted that visas for 3 months, 6 months, or one year are available for retired tourists who want a relaxing stay in Vietnam, allowing them to stay longer and spend more.

"We value the tourism economy and tourists, so in the future, we need to unilaterally waive visa requirements for anyone wishing to visit Vietnam. Visa policy is the first and most concrete step in the key tourism sector if Vietnam wants to become a tourism nation," Mr. Ha expressed.

At the same time, Mr. Pham Ha also emphasized that, in addition to institutional and policy issues such as opening up to attract tourists and VAT refunds for tourists, Vietnam also needs to focus on creating new and diverse tourism products, developing unique products such as overnight stays on cruises in Ha Long Bay, and tours of the Red River and Mekong River. In particular, it is necessary to avoid over-reliance on tourist sources as before. This includes focusing on high-quality tourism human resources and effective promotion.

"If tourists can come to Vietnam easily, have more fun, experience richer emotions, be more satisfied, and have more memorable experiences, then more tourists will come and return more often. This is a top-notch marketing strategy that Vietnam is not yet fully utilizing," the Chairman of Lux Group expressed.

According to managers, to attract international tourists to Vietnam, in addition to government support, tourism businesses need to supplement their workforce and provide on-the-job training for existing employees to upgrade service quality. Furthermore, they need plans to develop new products, upgrade existing ones, and offer new experiences to tourists.

According to Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, businesses need to strengthen tourism promotion and marketing to potential markets such as Europe, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. At the same time, they should enhance the application of technology to increase the attractiveness of destinations and tourism products.

Currently, Vietnam has to compete with many Southeast Asian countries that have opened their doors to international tourists and are constantly implementing policies to attract them. If we do not create favorable conditions, it will be difficult to attract international tourists to Vietnam.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao