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Vietnam's tourism sector aims to welcome at least 8 million international visitors this year. The government and relevant ministries have implemented numerous specific measures to accelerate the recovery and sustainable development of tourism. Many breakthroughs in immigration and visa procedures have also recently been approved by the National Assembly. These policy changes are expected to attract a large number of international tourists to Vietnam.
Over the past week, many Vietnamese landmarks have been repeatedly mentioned by international newspapers as ideal destinations for tourists. Sputnik, citing information from the New York Post (USA), reported that Vietnam was the first country mentioned in the ranking of the 12 best countries for retirees.
Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam's tourism sector has continued to make a strong impression on foreign press and media.
Two travel websites, Travel Off Path and Explore World Wide, have rated Hanoi as one of the best cities in the world for solo travel.
Accordingly, Google searches for Hanoi have increased by 946% in the past 12 months. Information about Vietnam in general is also attracting the attention of tourists.
Mr. Mario Mendis - Chairman of the Tourism, Restaurant and Hotel Subcommittee, European Business Association in Vietnam, commented: "Vietnam is a beautiful destination and requires at least 30-45 days to explore. Most countries, such as Thailand, have a minimum stay of 30 days for foreign visitors, which can be extended up to 3 months. Immigration procedures at the airport are extremely convenient. These policies are very important in attracting tourists."
Sharing that view, an article on Nikkei Asia quotes online travel company Agoda as saying that Vietnam's tourism is developing faster than Thailand's, but Vietnam needs to maintain its advantage by easing visa barriers and opening more flight routes.
On the morning of June 24th, the National Assembly officially approved extending the validity period of e-visas to 90 days. Along with that, the unilateral visa-free temporary stay period was increased to 45 days.
"Implementing visa exemption policies can attract an additional 5-25% of international tourists to a country. If the National Assembly approves more favorable visa policies, it is highly likely that Vietnam's tourism industry will welcome approximately 12 million international visitors, which is one and a half times the target we set for this year," said Mr. Hoang Nhan Chinh, Head of the Secretariat of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Council.
