Vietnam tourism looks forward to loosening visa policy

International tourists and travel businesses are expecting Vietnam to soon pass a new visa policy for "mutual benefit".

On the morning of May 27, Minister of Public Security To Lam submitted to the National Assembly a draft amendment to the law, proposing to increase the duration of electronic visas from no more than 30 days to a maximum of 3 months, electronic visas (e-visas) are valid for multiple entries instead of one entry as before, expand the scope of e-visa issuance (currently 80 countries) and increase the temporary stay period from 15 to 45 days, and increase the number of countries unilaterally issuing visas (currently 25 countries).

Mr. Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group - a unit specializing in exploiting resort yacht products - said that not only units in Vietnam but also foreign partners are waiting for the amendment. Up to now, Vietnam has considered amending the visa policy for international visitors, which is "a bit slow" but "still better than nothing".

He cited Thailand as having changed its policies on entry, exit, transit and residence for foreigners seven times since it opened its doors. Therefore, Vietnam also needs to be more flexible to adapt, "to avoid missing out on the opportunity to welcome international visitors like in the past."

Korean tourists visit Ponagar Tower on the occasion of April 30-May 1, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa. Photo: Bui Toan — Korean tourists visit Ponagar Tower on the occasion of April 30-May 1, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa. Photo: *Bui Toan*

International arrivals to Vietnam in the first quarter, the peak period, are estimated at 2.7 million, equal to 60% of the number before the pandemic, while the target for the whole year is 8 million. In 2022, international arrivals to Vietnam will only reach 3.5 million, about 70% of the plan and 19% of the 2019 results.

Meanwhile, Thailand surpassed its tourist arrivals target in the first quarter, with nearly 6.2 million international visitors. The country expects at least 30 million international visitors this year, with total spending reaching 1.5 trillion baht (nearly $44 billion). Thailand will also surpass its 10 million target in 2022, welcoming more than 11 million international visitors.

Mr. Hoang, a representative of a business specializing in welcoming Southeast Asian tourists, said that Vietnam was "right and on point" when it opened tourism early in March 2022, when not many countries had done the same. However, over the past year, the entry and accommodation policies for international visitors have remained almost unchanged, causing Vietnam's tourism recovery to be slower than other countries in the region.

In February, CNBC published a chart of tourism recovery rates in Southeast Asian countries, with Vietnam ranked 7th with a recovery rate of 19%, far behind the leading group including Cambodia (35%), Indonesia (34%), and Singapore (33%).

Mr. Hoang suggested that the visa policy should be "immediately restored" to the pre-Covid-19 status, while also expanding the visa exemption list. Before the pandemic, visitors applying for a visa to enter Vietnam in the form of an entry letter could stay for up to 3 months. However, currently, visitors can only stay for up to 30 days.

"My guests love Vietnam more than Laos, Cambodia... However, our complicated and restrictive visa policy is preventing them from traveling here," he said.

John Keefe, an Australian tourist who visited Vietnam in 1994 and returned last year, said Vietnam's current visa policy "is not beneficial to both sides" - tourists and Vietnam. A 30-day stay is not enough for Keefe personally, as he likes to spend about a week at each destination. Keefe hopes Vietnam will soon increase the stay to 90 days.

"I know many people are forced to leave Vietnam even though they don't want to. You have lost a lot of money from tourists like that," he said.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Hong Long, Head of the Department of Tourism Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said that openness in visa policy will bring "double benefits".

Whether international visitors see Vietnam as an attractive destination or not depends on visa policy. The openness of visa policy according to Resolution 82/NQ-CP is a criterion to compare the development capacity of Vietnam's tourism and travel of destinations. When a more open visa policy is approved by the National Assembly, Vietnam promises to attract more international visitors and with their longer stay, visitors' spending will be greater.

"We will achieve the 'double benefit' of increasing the number of customers and increasing their spending," Mr. Long replied.

In addition, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Hong Long proposed that the issuance of electronic visas should be expanded to all countries. On-site visa procedures should also be more convenient and easier for tourists. High-spending markets such as Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden should have their maximum stay increased to 3 months.

According to Mr. Long, many countries have been creating effective tourism leverage. from visa policy. Singapore exempts visas for citizens of 162 countries; foreign visitors can stay up to 90 days and can continue to extend from 30 to 89 days. Recently, Singapore also announced an "elite visa" policy with a visa valid for 5 years.

Mr. Pham Ha believes that the immediate change in visa policy will affect nearby markets around the Asian region. To attract distant markets with high spending power, Vietnam needs convenient flights and good infrastructure so that visitors can come easily and have many experiences.

In addition, he hopes that Vietnam will reposition its national brand, focusing on a number of quality target markets, instead of just focusing on quantity, and taking advantage of its position as a destination with many world-famous beach resorts. This will help increase visitors from emerging markets such as India, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.

Tu Nguyen

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