Visa relaxation proves shot in the arm for Vietnamese tourism

"Everything became easier when planning my itinerary," the Spanish woman says about her trip earlier this year.

Like Sanchez, many foreign visitors have enjoyed the perks of Vienam's relaxed visa regulations over the past year, resulting in a rise in number of visitors across many markets.

Since Aug. 15 last year Vietnam has tripled the duration of stay to 45 days for citizens of 13 countries who do not require visas.

The countries are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus, and their citizens are allowed to stay for 45 days regardless of passport type and entry purpose.

Under changes made to immigration policies in August last year three-month tourist visas are issued to citizens of all countries and territories, up from the earlier limit of one month.

"The new policy helps save time and effort for tourists, creating appeal for Vietnam's tourism industry," Pham Hai Quynh, director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, says.

In the 12 months since the changes, international arrival numbers were nearly 99% against 2018-19 -- before the Covid outbreak which decimated international tourism -- to nearly 16 million.

For the first seven months of this year the number was 10 million, 2% higher than in the same period in 2019.

Visitors from the 13 countries with visa waivers accounted for more than 3.7 million, 1.4 times up from last year, and 37% of all arrivals.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the number of visitors from Russia and Italy increased by 75% and 61%.

They were 37% for South Korea, 34% for Japan, 38% for Spain, 33% for France, 27% for Germany , 27% for Sweden, 26% for Denmark, 25% for the U.K., and 21% for Norway.

The policy changes have also enabled travel companies to effectively tap into the inbound tourism market.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, director of communications at Vietluxtour, says that during the peak tourist season from October to April her company had 45% more foreign tourists than a year earlier.

In the first seven months of the year international bookings at Vietluxtour increased by 50% year-on-year, with the strongest growth seen in European markets France and Germany, she says.

The remaining 11 countries saw a 30% increase, she adds.

Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, deputy general director of leading tour operator Vietravel, says his company served more than 9,000 international visitors during the peak season, a 250% increase.

Its biggest markets have been Japan and South Korea.

The number of customers from the 13 visa-exempt countries has increased by more than 300% this year.

Thuy Tran, general director of Vivu Journeys Vietnam, which specializes in inbound tours, says the company expects to serve 10,000 foreign visitors this year, double the number in 2023.

Hoang believes that, with the easier visa policies, the tourism industry will surpass its goal of 17-18 million arrivals this year.

Chinh says extending the length of stay allows visitors to remain longer and spend more.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Vietnam received 12.6 million visitors last year and generated over VND203 trillion (US$8.1 billion) in tourism revenues.

Thu says the duration of stay by foreign visitors increased by 10-30% over last year.

According to the 2024 Travel & Tourism Development Index put out by the World Economic Forum, Vietnam's International Openness score has risen by three ranks since 2019 and two since 2021 to 80th place.

According to tour guides who serve international tourists, most visitors to Vietnam generally have positive feedback but complain about the lack of nighttime entertainment options.

Tourists flock to Hai Van Gate in central Vietnam, August 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

They also hope the country will run promotions in various languages to make it easier for them to access information.

Many Australian tourists, among the 10 largest groups visiting Vietnam this year, have sought visa waivers.

Quach Trong Thang, a tour guide who speaks Spanish and English, says Australians love Vietnam because it is affordable and stay longer and spend "very generously."

However, industry insiders say what Vietnam needs to do now is ensure a high rate of returning foreign visitors.

Pham Ha, CEO of luxury cruise tour operator Lux Group, says if Vietnam wants to become a tourism powerhouse, it needs to address five major questions: How can we attract more visitors? How can we get them to stay longer? How can we encourage them to spend more? How can we inspire them to share positive experiences about Vietnam with their friends and family instead of complaints? And how can we ensure they will return to visit Vietnam soon?

"We need to ensure that visitors have a great time in Vietnam and spend every last penny they bring."

Tran says the tourism industry also needs to focus on personnel training to improve service quality, ensure safety at tourist destinations and promote sustainable tourism.

An Indian pharmaceutical billionaire will bring 4,500 employees to Vietnam for a two-week tour starting later this month, visiting Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay, and insiders describe this as a "big chance" for the tourism industry.