Vietnam eyes visa exemption

[reader]

From VN Express

Foreign tourists have hailed as "positive step" Vietnam's tourism minister proposing visa exemption be expanded for major markets like Europe and the U.S. Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, had proposed earlier this week that Vietnam expands visa exemption for tourists from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Europe, and the U.S. to boost tourism recovery after more than two years of pandemic restrictions.

It would help increase Vietnam's tourism competitiveness among Southeast Asian nations that already exempt American passport holders from having to get a visa for stays of under 30 days.

Ken Rafter from Australia said it would be "fantastic news" if Australians are exempted from obtaining a visa prior to visiting Vietnam.

India is currently seen as a country with potential to boost post-pandemic tourism recovery in Vietnam.

Vietnamese authorities are now issuing up to 6,000 visas a day to Indians, a 24-fold increase from pre-Covid times, said Pham Sanh Chau, the country's ambassador in New Delhi.

Vietnam has welcomed 954,000 foreign arrivals in the first seven months this year, up nine times year-on-year.

The country hopes to welcome five million foreign tourists this year, around 30 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

 

[TMax]

We can hope a visa waiver gets introduced in Vietnam, I for one am interested in going back to Vietnam again, it's been a very long time since my last trip.