Vietnam's 23-million tourists target within reach but needs stronger push

Vietnam received 10.7 million foreign arrivals in the first six months, 26% up from the same period in 2019, the year before the Covid-19 pandemic.

January marked a milestone, with the country attracting nearly 2.1 million visitors, almost 40% more than in January 2019. In March too more than two million visitors came.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, attributed the strong performance to favorable visa policies and increased promotional campaigns.

This year saw major changes in visa policies amid stiff competition with neighboring countries to attract tourists.

On March 1 Vietnam waived visas for tourists from Poland, Czechia and Switzerland coming on package tours for up to 45 days.

The same month the government also decided to extend visa waivers, that had expired on March 15, until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.

Several major amusement and accommodation facilities opened, including Sun World Ha Nam Water Park, VinWonders Vu Yen in Hai Phong, Lamori Thanh Hoa Resort, and Radisson Red Hotel in Da Nang.

Khanh said: "The goal of receiving 22–23 million visitors in 2025 is entirely achievable."

But he admitted there are a number of hurdles to achieving the year's target.

Regional competition remains a major challenge.

China and Thailand have continuously relaxed their visa rules to attract tourists from key markets, which have had an impact on both the number and quality of visitors coming to Vietnam.

Service quality is another concern. Some destinations still lack adequate four- and five-star services, which may deter high-spending travelers.

High domestic airfares are a major issue.

During the peak summer season airfares on many routes surged by up to 45% compared to the same period last year.

For instance, the round fares to Phu Quoc from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City cost up to VND5–6 million and to Da Nang, VND3.5–4.5 million.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, suggested establishing tourism promotion centers in key markets.

"After speaking with Korean tourists, our second-largest visitor group, I realized many of them still know very little about Vietnam.

"Opening a tourism promotion center in Seoul would be a strategic move to attract more Korean visitors. Similar centers could be set up in Japan, our fifth largest market."

Tourism insiders also called on the government to waive visas for more countries to compete with regional neighbors like Thailand and Malaysia.