​Vietnamese travel firms hope to draw more tourists with visa exemptions for 3 European nations

​Vietnamese travel firms hope to draw more tourists with visa exemptions for 3 European nations

Vietnamese tourism businesses are expecting an influx of visitors from Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland following the country’s decision to exempt visas for citizens of these three European nations from this month until the end of 2025.

European tourists visit Ho Chi Minh City in late February 2025. Photo: Quang Dinh / Tuoi Tre

The visa waiver, aimed at boosting inbound tourism, allows Poles, Czechs, and Swiss to stay up to 45 days in Vietnam.

It will remain in effect until December 31, 2025 and applies only to travelers on organized tours arranged by Vietnam’s international travel agencies.

A leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Society of Travel Agents emphasized that the visa exemption policy presents great opportunities for Vietnam’s tourism industry and economy.

“These countries have prominent businesses in technology and finance,” they said.

“This will strengthen trade connections and create new opportunities for the tourism sector to access other European markets.”

Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, deputy general director of tour operator Vietravel, believes that Vietnam’s 2025 tourism stimulus program, bolstered by the visa exemptions for these three countries, will attract more tourists from new markets and unlock potential markets.

Vietravel plans to participate in promotional programs, cultural events, and campaigns in these countries to expand its brand and network of international partners.

Le Thi Tham, manager of a resort in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam, also welcomed the visa exemptions.

“We will create new product packages suitable for European guests, particularly those from the recently exempted countries,” Tham said.

Currently, Vietnam grants 45-day visa exemptions to citizens of 13 countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and several Nordic nations.

These countries are among Vietnam’s largest sources of international visitors, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The country welcomed nearly 2.1 million international visitors in January, marking a 36.9-percent increase from the same period in 2024, according to data from the General Statistics Office.

It aims to attract 22-23 million international visitors and 120-130 million domestic tourists this year.

In 2024, Vietnam’s tourism industry hosted over 17.5 million international visitors, reaching 98 percent of the pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019, the peak year for tourism.

Asian visitors made up 79.6 percent of the total, followed by Europeans at 11.3 percent, Americans at 5.7 percent, and Africans at 0.3 percent.

Short duration raises concerns

Some industry figures, including Hoang from Vietravel, however, worried that the new visa waiver program’s limited duration could hinder sustainable tourism growth.

“Due to the short time, smaller businesses or those without established partnerships in these countries may struggle to fully capitalize on the opportunity,” he said.

Tran The Dung, deputy director of Young Generation Travel, agreed that the visa exemption period is too short for businesses to plan effectively.

“For a stimulus program, it needs at least a year for businesses to promote and sell products,” Dung said.

He also called for better collaboration between airlines and tourism businesses to offer more attractive discount packages.

The director of the tourism department in a central province also agreed, noting that while the visa exemptions will help diversify Vietnam’s tourism markets, cooperation between airlines, travel businesses, and management agencies is essential to build compelling tourism product packages and enhance the tourist experience.

Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, mentioned that Ho Chi Minh City is working on its own tourism stimulus program, focusing on collaboration with large corporations to adjust pricing and attract tourists during off-peak periods.

“We will continue to assess the situation with businesses and work with the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association to discuss extending the stimulus period,” he added.

Tuoi Tre News