Vietnam considers visa waiver to boost tourism competitiveness

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has tasked the Ministries of Public Security and Foreign Affairs to consider visa waivers for a number of countries. The strategy aims to boost Vietnam's competitiveness in the global tourism market and support economic recovery.

To speed up tourism recovery, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has urged the ministries to consider visa waivers for citizens of various countries. The move comes at a time when competition is increasing in Southeast Asia, with countries such as Thailand and Indonesia attracting tourists through their visa-free policies.

During a recent meeting with leaders of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad, Prime Minister Chinh stressed the importance of simplifying visa policies. He encouraged these agencies to explore and implement measures that ease the visa process for foreign tourists, which will significantly boost the tourism industry.

"The Ministry of Public Security should work together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to waive visas for a number of countries," Chinh said. The initiative is in line with Vietnam's goal of improving its position in the global tourism market.

Currently, Vietnam grants visa waivers to travellers from 25 countries. This number is relatively small compared to other Southeast Asian countries: Malaysia and Singapore grant visa waivers to 162 countries, the Philippines 157 and Thailand 93 countries.

In a recent effort to attract more tourists, Thailand has extended its visa-free stay from 57 to 93 countries and territories. Similarly, Indonesia plans to introduce visa-free travel to 20 new destinations, including Australia, China and India, by October.

Vietnam currently offers a three-month tourist visa for citizens of all countries and territories. Additionally, from August 2023, the government has extended the visa-free stay period to 45 days for citizens of 13 specific countries. This one-way visa exemption includes popular tourist destinations such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and several Nordic nations.