Untangle knots in international tourism market

The National Assembly on June 24 approved extending the validity of electronic visas for foreigners to 90 days from the current 30 days, starting from August 15. The number of countries and territories whose citizens are eligible to apply for an e-visa to enter Vietnam was increased from 46 to 80. Moreover, Vietnam has decided to issue electronic visas (e-visas) to citizens of all countries and territories, according to Resolution No. 127/NQ-CP issued by the Vietnamese Government and set to take effect on August 15. Vietnam has so far only granted e-visas to citizens from 80 countries and territories. The government also issued Resolution No. 128 on August 14, amending Resolution No. 32 on visa exemptions for citizens from certain countries and territories.

Under the new Resolution, citizens of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Great Britain, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Belarus are permitted to stay for 45 days from the time of entry, regardless of passport type or purpose of entry.

Vietnam’s new visa policies, considered a major overhaul of the country’s immigration system, are expected to help revive the tourism industry, as they will encourage more travelers to visit the country and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism.

According to a report from the General Statistics Office, international visitors to Viet Nam in the first 6 months of 2023 reached 5.6 million arrivals, 9.3 times higher than the same period last year but still equal to 65.7% compared to the same period in 2019 – the year without Covid-19, of which arrivals by air reached 4.9 million arrivals, accounting for 87.6% of international arrivals to Viet Nam and 9.3 times higher than  the same period last year; by road reached 633.5 thousand arrivals, accounting for 11.4% and 8.1 times higher; by sea reached 55 thousand arrivals, accounting for 1% and 443.9 times higher. Asia still brings the majority of arrivals to Vietnam with 4.2 million visitors in the first six months of the year, followed by Europe (695,300 visitors), the Americas (473,400), Oceania (202,300), and Africa (12,400). This year, Vietnam is striving to serve 110 million tourists, including 8 million foreigners (the target was set at the beginning of the year, before China, the primary tourist market to Việt Nam, announced its reopening in February), and seeks to earn around VNĐ650 trillion ($27.6 billion) from tourism services. Favorable visa policy is considered one of the key factors for Vietnam to attract tourists from Europe. The Vietnam peak season for international tourists is from October to April of the following year (coinciding with winter vacation, Christmas, and Lunar New year, etc). Since September, many major international tourism events and exhibitions such as ITB Asia, WTM London... will take place, in line with promoting and stimulating the international market.

Focus on building tourism products and intensifying tourism promotion

Besides favorable visa policy, tourism products and services play an important role in attracting more foreign tourists. Therefore, many travel agencies have bolstered tourism promotion and built more interesting tours to attract more tourists. Moreover, travel firms in Can Tho also focus on exploiting river tourism and indigenous culture to build diverse products and services to attract tourists.

Kaytlyn, a British tourist, said: "I like to explore the beauty of the Mekong Delta. The people and the culture are utterly impressive. The floating market on the river, the countryside roads, and the delicious food in Can Tho are the great things I experienced when traveling here.”

Indigenous culture is an essential element in building tourism products. Many travel agencies incorporate indigenous cultures like craft villages and traditional cuisine into tour packages to bring international tourists diverse experiences.

Tourist Esperanza said: “I have a 5-day tour to discover the Mekong Delta because I am impressed with the unique culture here. Immediately after arriving in Can Tho, my tour guide took me to the fruit gardens and Son Islet. During the evening, a leisurely walk was taken through the streets to appreciate the stunning temples and pagodas. The architecture of these buildings truly impressed me.”

In addition to developing tourism products, tourism promotion is considered vital in connecting the international tourism market. Therefore, Can Tho City has actively participated in many tourism promotion events such as Vietnam International Travel Mar (VITM) - Hanoi 2023, the 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023), tourism promotion events in Korea, Japan, India, etc. Moreover, Can Tho is also promoting the application of digital transformation in tourism promotion to increase access to international markets. Specifically, Can Tho authorities explore the implications of Artificial intelligence (AI) and Virtual Reality (VR) to improve visitors’ experience and increase the attractiveness of tourism products. As a result, this will contribute to helping Can Tho tourism quickly reach new markets, connecting and promoting tourism more effectively in the process of international integration.