Tourism industry leaders in Vietnam have made a concerted call for the government to address its ‘conservative’ tourist visas policies, suggesting that extra tourism business would be a perfect antidote to the pesky tariff policies of President Donald Trump.
A seminar held in Ho Chi Minh City on 24 April called for more countries to be added to a list of those granted visa exemptions, and proposed a more relaxed government visa regime that targets special categories such as investors and business visitors.
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The central government has previously indicated that visa changes are on the way. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed relevant ministries to consider exempting visas for tourists from ‘friendly’ countries and 'global billionaires' as part of efforts to spur tourism growth.
Vietnam offers visa-free entry to only citizens of 29 countries and territories, and stays ranging from 14 to 90 days
Nguyen Quang Trung, head of development planning at Vietnam Airlines, told the HCMC seminar that with six million international arrivals in Q1, the goal of 22–23 million in 2025 “is entirely within reach if visa and aviation policies are implemented in a synchronised and effective manner”.
Trung called for expanding the list of visa-exempt countries, focusing on markets with strong tourism and investment potential.
He also suggested trialling 12-month visa exemptions for mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and India, extending visa-free stays to 90 days for travellers from Europe, North America and Australia, offering long-term visas for investors and professionals, simplifying the e-visa system, and reducing the visa processing time.
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Reported by VN Express, Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman of Vietravel Corporation, said, “Amid the robust global tourism recovery post-Covid and intensifying regional competition, visa exemptions have become a strategic tool for Vietnam to assert itself as a top destination in Asia.”