Visa exemption sparks increased interest in Vietnam among Eastern European travelers

By Hoang Phong October 21, 2025 | 07:20 pm PT

Foreign tourists visit Nguyen Hue flower street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, January 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Data from online travel platform Agoda shows a 60% rise in interest from Eastern European travelers following Vietnam's recent introduction of a visa exemption for citizens of these countries.

Agoda reported a 77% increase in searches from Slovenia, 74% from Poland, 72% from Bulgaria, 69% from Romania, and 61% from Slovakia based on accomodation search data made on Agoda between Aug. 15 to Sept. 30, after the new visa regulations were announced, for check-ins between October and November compared to the same period last year.

"The data clearly demonstrates how simplified entry procedures and improved accessibility encourages visitation to Vietnam from travelers from Europe and other long-haul source markets," said Vu Ngoc Lam, Vietnam country director at Agoda.

Starting from Aug. 15, citizens from 12 countries including Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland were granted visa-free entry for stays of up to 45 days in Vietnam for tourism purposes, regardless of their passport types.

The increase in European interest aligns with official data from the Statistics Office, which reports that European arrivals climbed nearly 35% in the first nine months of 2025.

In the third quarter alone, Vietnam welcomed 568,370 European tourists, up 38% from the previous quarter and an impressive 60% increase year-on-year.