According to the online travel platform Agoda, the numberof searches about this new policy increased by 33% within two weeks after itsapproval by the Vietnamese National Assembly.
Among them, the highestincrease in the number of accommodation searches came from tourists from France,with a 72% hike compared to the two weeks earlier. Other countries such as the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany, and the US also recorded a rise ininterest in travelling to Vietnam, ranging from 38%-45%.
According to the Agoda,their data analysis focuses on long-haul travelers from North America, the EU,Australia, New Zealand, etc., who face stricter visa policies compared to entryinto other Southeast Asian countries and the wider Asia-Pacific region. They often have to take more expensive and longer round-trip flights, makingthem inclined to plan for longer vacations compared to visitors from nearbyregions. Therefore, the increased flexibility and ease of the visa issuance process,along with promotional efforts and more flight services, have contributed to realisingthe goal of attracting more foreign tourists to Vietnam.
The survey data alsoindicated positive signs towards achieving Vietnam's target of attracting 8million foreign visitors by the end of this year. Since the beginning of thisyear, Vietnam has welcomed about 5.57 million foreign tourists.
Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department NguyenThi Anh Hoa said the department will partner with relevant departments andagencies to jointly fine-tune the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences andExhibitions) tourism development policies in the city.
In the first half of this year, foreign tourist arrivals inthe city surpassed 1.9 million, up 306% annually and equivalent to 38.8% of the2023 plan. Meanwhile, the number of domestic visitors exceeded 16.4 million, up48% year-on-year and reaching 46.9% of the yearly plan./.