tourist news in vietnam

Vietnam scraps quarantine, other travel restrictions for tourists as COVID cases climb

HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam on Wednesday scrapped quarantine and other travel restrictions for foreign visitors in an effort to fully reopen its border after two years of pandemic-related closure, the government said.

Visitors entering the Southeast Asian country only need to show a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival, according to the Health Ministry, which said the new measures were effective immediately.

Visitors must monitor their own health during the first 10 days of their stay and notify medical professionals in Vietnam if they experience any COVID-19-like symptoms .

Vietnam also reinstated visa exemptions and the issuance of visas on arrival similar to their pre-pandemic status.

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Vietnam closed its border and stopped issuing tourist visas in March 2020 to contain the spread of the coronavirus. It partially reopened to international tourism last November for visitors traveling in strict bubbles.

In Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where streets were bustling before the pandemic, many shops have closed due to a lack of tourists. The few that remain open are struggling.

“It has been very hard. Business is so slow because there are no foreign tourists,” said Tuyet Lien, the owner of a shop selling silk and other souvenir products.

“I’m very excited the country is reopening completely. The tourists will come back soon and business will thrive again,” Lien added.

The tourism industry comprised nearly 10% of the country’s economy before the pandemic.

“We believe Vietnam is quickly changing to be better aligned with other global destinations that have reopened for tourism. We remain positive that inbound travel volume will gradually rise,” said Mathieu Le Besq, general manager of Accor hotels in Vung Tau, a beach resort city in southern Vietnam.

The reopening comes as Vietnam reports record numbers of new COVID-19 infections , with a daily average of nearly 200,000 cases over the past two weeks.

The CDC and State Department have advised Americans to " avoid travel to Vietnam " due it "very high" levels of COVID.

Despite the high infection rate, the Health Ministry says the majority of patients have mild symptoms from the omicron variant and do not require hospitalization.

Vietnam has administered over 200 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, covering 80% of the country's 98 million people, according to the Health Ministry.

Vietnam eyes full reopening to tourists from next month

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Tourists can return to Vietnam soon - if they visit this island

Sep 13, 2021 • 3 min read

Vietnam will trial the controlled return of tourists to Phu Quoc ©Shutterstock

Vietnam will pilot a plan to reopen the popular tourist island of Phu Quoc to fully vaccinated foreign visitors from autumn, according to a government statement .

Similar to Thailand's 'Phuket Sandbox' scheme , Vietnam's six-month pilot program will see tourism restricted to Phu Quoc (an island off the country's southwestern coast near Cambodia ) and implemented in phases in order to minimize the risk of transmission. The first phase will run for three months and will see about 2000 to 3000 visitors per month travel to a Phu Quoc on chartered flights. Not all of the island will be open at this time and visitors will be taken to designated accommodation and entertainment sites.

The second phase will see visitor numbers increase to 5000 to 10,000 for another three months, with passengers permitted to travel on commercial flights. More of the island will have reopened by that stage to allow people to experience the white-sand beaches, dense tropical jungles, food markets and laid-back resorts of Phu Quoc on a larger scale. The pilot program coincides with Phu Quoc's dry season, which typically runs from November until March.

Read more: Do you need a visa to go to Vietnam?

"The purpose of this programe is to gradually restore the international tourism market and the tourism industry while promoting Vietnam as a safe and attractive destination with effective pandemic prevention and control measures," officials said in a statement .

Visitors will need to show proof of full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 to visit Phu Quoc, in addition to presenting a negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before flying. According to CNN , Phu Quoc has not reported any community infections and it has sufficient quarantine and public health services to deal with any outbreaks.

To facilitate the pilot program, the tourist board said the Vietnam Safe Travel app has been updated with an English language option. It will also have a vaccination certification system that should allow passengers to upload their COVID-19 so that the information can be easily scanned at the border.

Until recently, Vietnam was one of the world’s top performers at fighting the coronavirus. But the Delta variant and a shortage of vaccine supplies have caused a surge in infections. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are currently under lockdown, and NPR reports that only 4% of the population has been fully vaccinated. Although officials expect 50 million doses to be delivered by the end of September as they double down on efforts to speed up the vaccination campaign.

Vietnam closed its tourism industry in March 2020 to shut out COVID-19. Borders have been sealed tight since, and only Vietnamese nationals, foreigners on diplomatic or official business, and highly skilled workers have been permitted to enter Vietnam.

Those border rules will be eased at Phu Quoc but it is not yet clear when Vietnam will open the rest of the country up for tourism. An exact date for the launch of the Phu Quoc pilot program has not been announced either but it is likely to begin in November. This article will be updated when more information becomes available. 

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Explained: The Slow Recovery of Vietnam’s Tourism Industry

While Vietnam’s regional tourism peers have rebounded to around 25 percent of their pre-pandemic tourist trade in 2022, Vietnam has fallen behind. This article explores the reasons why, what could happen next, and how foreign companies could potentially benefit.

As soon as it became clear that COVID-19 wasn’t just another cold but rather the makings of a devastating pandemic, Vietnam closed its borders. In fact, it was one of the first countries to make the move but was quickly followed by many others.

This was succeeded by a snap lockdown. Flights were grounded, restaurants were shut, and tourist hotspots like Hanoi’s Turtle Lake and Ho Chi Minh City’s Beer Street were closed for business.

But whereas that first initial lockdown was only brief for most businesses – in some places just a few weeks – for the tourism sector it was the start of a long period of layoffs, bankruptcies, and financial pain that has still not come to an end.

So what happened? How did it happen? What’s next? And where are the opportunities for foreign firms?

There was a pivot to domestic tourism

When the cities opened up again after that first, brief initial lockdown, the tourism landscape had changed considerably. With foreign tourists out of the equation, Vietnam’s tourism enterprises swiftly shifted their focus to domestic travelers.

But the Vietnamese do not travel like their foreign counterparts. Most notably, they have an average spend of about US$49 a day whereas foreign tourists typically spend more than double that – at an estimated US$117/day.

Furthermore, not only do Vietnamese tourists spend less, they also speak the native language and have an in-depth understanding of the locations they visit. This means that cultural traditions and practices that are a novelty for foreign tourists are just a normal part of everyday life.

As a result, the tourism sector had to pivot.

Specifically, with international arrivals more or less gone, foreign language skills, which had been a huge selling point for Vietnam’s tourism workers, were no longer needed.

This was, however, somewhat serendipitous. While tourism was in decline, cross-border digital services were on the way up. Technology companies in Vietnam were making bank selling video games, mobile phone applications, and a broad range of software online to people in lockdown all around the world. And, as their operations scaled up, so too did their customer service teams – and this meant hiring vast numbers of workers with foreign language skills.

At the time, this was somewhat fortuitous as it meant employers could avoid laying off workers, and workers were not out of work for too long. However, as the pandemic persisted and many tourism workers found new career paths, there was a risk of losing a generation of workers along with a huge volume of institutional memory.

Changes in immigration policy

But as the tourism sector was shrinking, another challenge was emerging.

An overhaul of Vietnam’s immigration policy was taking place and a number of key changes were being made affecting access and mobility.

Before COVID, most tourists passed through immigration either visa-free if they were from one of 25 countries that were permitted to do so, or with an e-visa valid for 30 to 90 days that they could get online.

During COVID-19, however, 90-day tourist visas were effectively done away with (except for people on package tours). Moving forward, tourists would need to apply to extend their visa if they wanted to stay for longer than the prescribed 30 days.

It is not exactly clear what the motivating factor was behind this change; ostensibly, it was a move to get foreigners in Vietnam onto the correct visas – before the pandemic it had been common for foreign workers to stay in the country on 90-day tourist visas, which they would renew by completing day-trips to Bangkok every three months.

With borders closed, however, it was difficult to ascertain the impact these changes would have. As a result, when they came into force in July of 2020, they passed by mostly unnoticed, hidden behind Vietnam’s border restrictions.

Attempts to open up in 2021

Early on in 2021, COVID-19, which had been remarkably contained for over a year, finally got its hooks into Vietnam, ravaging Vietnam’s cities, and sounding the death knell for many tourism businesses.

By the end of 2021, an estimated 90-95 percent of tourism businesses had closed their doors for good or had changed their core operations – the tourism sector was bleeding out.

But there was hope. Vaccinations rates were rising and a pilot program ‘travel bubble’ had been approved for the island of Phu Quoc off the south coast of Vietnam. In November, 209 Korean tourists would arrive at the island for a four-day, three-night package holiday – complete with COVID-19 safeguards.

But this was just a drop in the ocean when it came to the US$32 billion dollar tourism revenue hole created by the pandemic.

For the sector to be revived, travel restrictions would need to be done away with in their entirety.

That said, at the beginning of 2022, the dark clouds started to part for Vietnam’s tourism industry when on February 14, the decision was made to reopen Vietnam to tourism a month later, on March 15. The sigh of relief from the tourism industry was almost audible.

This optimism, however, was to be short-lived when just 10 days later Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russian sanctions hit Vietnam’s tourism industry

Vietnam’s tourism sector is heavily reliant on a few key locations, which are often frequented by specific nationalities. As a result, the absence of Russian travelers was expected to have a concentrated impact, rather than a significant one.

In coastal towns like Nha Trang, most signage, including menus and price lists, is written in Russian followed by English. Russian tourists have been a significant source of revenue for Vietnam’s coastal tourist towns, especially during the winter months when they seek warmer climates. There are also long standing ties from Russia’s Soviet days.

However, due to the global banking system’s exclusion of Russia and the country’s struggling economy under sanctions, holidaying abroad was becoming increasingly difficult and costly for Russians. Flights between Vietnam and Russia were also suspended, forcing Russian tourists to transit through third countries, making travel to Vietnam more expensive.

China maintains COVID-zero policy for most of 2022

But while the missing Russian tourists undoubtedly had an impact, it was the absence of Chinese tourists that would really hold Vietnam’s tourism sector back.

For most of 2022, Vietnam’s neighbor to the north stubbornly refused to reopen its borders, cutting off Vietnam’s biggest source of foreign tourists – in 2019, Chinese visitors accounted for more than a quarter of Vietnam’s international arrivals.

As a result, when borders finally reopened on March 15, the festivities were somewhat muted – Vietnam’s tourism sector was not out of the woods yet and would continue to struggle for some time to come.

One year later…

The response to Vietnam’s reopening from the international traveling community was lackluster at best. Despite heavy discounts on accommodation and flights, the rising dragon struggled to breathe life back into its tourism industry.

In 2022, Vietnam welcomed just 3.6 million tourists, around 18 percent of its pre-pandemic 19 million. For contrast, Thailand received 10 million tourists, 25 percent of its 2019 traffic (which was 40 million), and Indonesia counted 4.6 million guests, just over 28 percent of the 16 million arrivals it received in 2019.

Visa reform has been touted as one way to give the sector a much-needed boost. This has been acknowledged by the authorities. The Vietnamese government, last week, announced it would submit to the National Assembly a draft law that would extend visa-free periods to 30 days and bring back three-month tourist visas. The logic being that the longer tourists stay in Vietnam, the more money they spend.

China has also reopened its borders to select countries and Vietnam has made the list.

Russia, however, is another kettle of fish. Vietnam welcomed less than 40,000 Russian tourists in 2022 well below the pre-pandemic 650,000 it received in 2019. When these numbers will return to normal will depend on external factors well beyond Vietnam’s control.

That said, Vietnam will still have to deal with internal factors, including deep-seeded sustainability issues, in order to future proof its tourism sector.

In 2021, Euromonitor International ranked the Southeast Asian nation 96th out of 99 on its tourism sustainability index . Litter on Vietnam’s beaches and water pollution are becoming increasingly off-putting to foreign visitors.

This may be partly why its rate of return among tourists is relatively low. Just 5 percent of tourists return to Vietnam ; by comparison, in Thailand, that figure is around 50 percent. This will need to be addressed in the future to ensure the long-term survival of the sector.

For now, however, an air of optimism has returned once more, with the aforementioned visa changes and China’s reopening expected to give the sector the sorely needed leg-up it’s crying out for.

Opportunities for foreign investors

The economic cost of prolonged border closures is still weighing heavily on the tourism sector. The local media is filled with stories of hotels up for sale as owners struggle to make ends meet .

Famously, Vietnam’s ‘Gold Hotel’ (the Dolce by Wyndham) is up for grabs. Though it’s hoped that the hotel in Hanoi will bring its owners the hefty price of US$200 million, this is on the more expensive side and there are much lower priced options out there.

In coastal cities like Danang, almost finished construction projects stand dormant with developers out of money. Existing businesses are also cash starved and keen to restructure into joint-ventures. This may be a good opportunity for foreign hoteliers to enter the market at a discount.

Hospitality, restaurants, and bars have also gone in many places amid the dwindling demand. Investors who have the resources to wait could consider entering the market now and ride the wave of recovery when it inevitably comes.

Foreign tour operators might also consider this the ideal opportunity to try running tours to the Southeast Asian nation. With excess capacity in hotels and tourist services, heavy discounts may be on offer. They may also find the pre-COVID crowds vastly diminished offering visitors a somewhat calmer and more unique experience.

On that note, firms that wish to find out more about or gain access to these opportunities should contact industry advisors at Dezan Shira and Associates .

The future of Vietnam’s tourism sector

Vietnam’s tourism industry saw 2.69 million tourists in the first quarter of 2023, representing 33 percent of its targeted 8 million international arrivals by the end of the year. This has contributed around US$6.85 billion in revenue from accommodation and catering services.

While these numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, the country is off to a promising start. The tourism sector appears to be responding well to global economic challenges, although it is starting from a relatively low point.

Moving forward, it is essential for the industry to continue its sustainable and resilient recovery. This will not only benefit the economy, but also ensure that foreign visitors can enjoy Vietnam’s tourist attractions for years to come.

Vietnam Briefing is published by  Asia Briefing , a subsidiary of  Dezan Shira & Associates . We produce material for foreign investors throughout Eurasia, including  ASEAN ,  China ,  India ,  Indonesia ,  Russia  & the  Silk Road . For editorial matters please contact us  here  and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click  here .

Dezan Shira & Associates  provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the Vietnam and the Asian region. We maintain offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India, and Russia. For assistance with investments into Vietnam please contact us at  [email protected]  or visit us at  www.dezshira.com

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10/08/2024   06:00 (GMT+07:00)

Vietnam’s cultural tourism boom: A youth-driven renaissance

Vietnam is experiencing a surge in cultural tourism, driven by a growing international appetite for heritage and culinary experiences. the trend is particularly embraced by the country’s young generation..

Vietnam boasts 32 UNESCO-recognised world heritage items, including 5 cultural heritage sites, 24 intangible cultural heritage elements and documentary heritage items, alongside over 40,000 relic sites, nearly 10,000 of which are classified at the municipal and provincial level.

In recent years, Vietnam has consistently been highly rated in various international tourism rankings and awards. Vietnam won the titles of “Top Asia Destination” and “Top Asia Destination for Heritage, Culture and Cuisine” by the World Travel Awards (WTA) for consecutive years from 2018-2020. In 2023, Vietnam was again named “Top Asia Destination for Heritage, Culture and Cuisine” by the WTA.

Vietnam – Top Asia Destination for Cuisine

Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), said when cultural heritage is properly tapped, it provides visitors with a deeper understanding of local cultural values, making them want to return.

He added that Vietnam’s rich tapestry of traditional crafts, festivals and diverse cuisine is a treasure trove for cultural tourism development. Famous Vietnamese dishes such as pho, banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), bun cha (rice vermicelli with grilled pork and fresh herbs), and banh cuon (steamed rolled rice pancakes) have been celebrated on prestigious international media channels, becoming ambassadors of Vietnamese tourism.

Vietnam – Heritage Destination

Vietnam’s world heritage sites have seen a meteoric rise in popularity. Once drawing only a trickle of visitors, the Complex of Hue Monuments and Ha Long Bay, both UNESCO-listed in the 1990s, now welcome millions annually. The Hue complex attracted 2.28 million visitors in 2023 alone, including over a million foreigners.

Ha Long Bay’s allure is equally potent, with nearly 2.7 million tourists flocking to its waters last year, generating a staggering 780 billion VND (32.5 million USD) in revenue, marking an 80% surge from 2022.

Hoi An ancient town in the central province of Quang Nam, another UNESCO gem, has experienced explosive growth since its designation. Visitor number soared to almost 4 million in 2023, a 99% increase year-on-year, with foreign arrivals tripling to more than 3 million. Meanwhile, domestic arrivals soared 77% annually to around 1 million.

Vietnam’s cultural scene is ablaze with captivating shows. Productions like “Tinh Hoa Viet Nam (Quintessence of Vietnam), a grand historical reenactment on Phu Quoc island, and “Ky uc Hoi An,” (Memory of Hoi An) which transforms Hoi An into a nightly entertainment spectacle, have wowed audiences. The latter has even earned the title of “Top Entertainment Destination”.

Northern Vietnam’s allure is showcased in “Vu Dieu Tren May”(Dance on the Clouds), a performance that clinched the “Top Cultural Tourist Destination” award for Sun World Fansipan Legend at the 2022 World Travel Awards. And for those heading to Hanoi, CNN recommends experiencing the “Tinh hoa Bac Bo” (Quintessence of Tonkin)” show.

Youths engage in cultural tourism

As global travellers increasingly seek eco-friendly and heritage-rich experiences, young Vietnamese are stepping up to meet the demand. They are passionate about preserving the national cultural identity while showcasing it to the world through tourism.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO Ha Kim Ngoc said while young people already have certain advantages, they need to harness the power of digital transformation, social media platforms, mobile applications, and social networks to introduce and popularise UNESCO heritage sites to a global audience.

He praised young individuals for their bold innovation and creativity which have helped open doors to the world, bringing traditional cultural values and the image of Vietnam to friends across the globe.

Sharing this optimism is Will in Vietnam, a popular TikToker with 3.2 millions of followers, over 950,000 subscribers on YouTube, and more than 400,000 followers on Facebook. He described Vietnam as a “cultural tourism hub” with endless possibilities for exploration.

“Vietnam has a rich history and tradition with thousands of festivals, numerous historical sites, and a diverse geography. There are always new things to explore and learn about. This is one of the reasons why many Europeans flock to Vietnam to discover its cultural heritage, history and cuisine. I believe Vietnam should continue to leverage its strengths as a cultural destination,” he said.

Popular Vietnamese travel vlogger Khoai Lang Thang said “Beautiful landscapes might attract tourists to a place once or twice, but when they develop a fondness for the local culture, they will visit more frequently. Integrating culture into tourism is also a way to make culture more accessible, influential and relevant to the times. Therefore, developing tourism that is closely linked to culture also helps preserve our own cultural heritage, deepens love for our homeland, and honours the traditions left by our ancestors”.

Sung Mi Phin, a young H’mong ethnic man from the northern mountainous province of Ha Giang, is blending culture with tourism. His homestay business model is a prime example of how locals can preserve and promote their heritage while benefiting from tourism. “Involving local people in culturally-focused tourism is the best way to respect, preserve and promote traditional cultural values”, Phin said.

Contrary to the concerns of many, young people today are far from indifferent to traditional culture. They are adept at preserving and promoting cultural values through the lens of tourism, turning it into a bridge among ethnic groups. As Diu Thi Huong, a Lo Lo ethnic woman and owner of the Cuc Bac coffee shop in Ha Giang, pointed out “Only by deeply understanding and appreciating our own ethnic culture can we open up to learning the positive aspects of other cultures, and only then can we truly embrace the ‘differences’ in the cultures of other ethnic groups”.

 Expert Vu Anh Tu from the Cultural Studies Magazine at the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies asserted that young people’s involvement in cultural tourism aligns perfectly with current trends and holds significance for transmitting and upholding the values of ethnic culture. This participation also contributes to increasing the diversity and appeal of cultural tourism products. To further develop cultural tourism, Vietnam must bolster its regulatory framework. In addition to support and incentives, the country needs to strengthen management, inspection and oversight to safeguard ethnic cultural values. Raising public awareness about the effort is also essential for both the general public and tourism industry professionals./. VNA

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Vietnam set for a wave of global hotel brands amid booming demand for travel

As the country’s tourism industry recovers and evolves, experts weigh in on its strategy to attract high-spenders

Jamille Tran

• High-end hotel La Festa Phu Quoc, a lifestyle brand under the Curio Collection by Hilton, opened last December on Vietnam's tourist island of Phu Quoc. PHOTO: HILTON

[HO CHI MINH CITY] SOARING demand for travel in Vietnam this year is being powered by foreign arrivals – already higher than in pre-pandemic times – as well as a thriving domestic tourism industry. These twin trends have put the South-east Asian country on track to attract a major influx of global hotel brands in the coming years.

This shift is being anticipated despite an ongoing oversupply of high-end hospitality properties in the country’s coastal destinations.

According to a note issued by Savills Hotels in late July, this trend has accelerated, particularly after the pandemic. Many hotels are undergoing brand conversions or upgrades.

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China Focus: Tourism, activities enhance exchanges between Chinese, Vietnamese border residents

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2024-08-21 09:25:00

NANNING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The border cities of Pingxiang and Dongxing in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are experiencing a bustling tourism season this summer.

Doan Thi Hang, a tourist from Vietnam's Lang Son province, recently enjoyed a cross-border "one-day tour" in Pingxiang. During her visit, she sampled local Chinese delicacies like milk tea and hot pot, and purchased clothing from nearby stores. "Some government officials and shopkeepers speak Vietnamese, which makes me feel very welcomed," she said.

In response to the growing influx of tourists, Ye Xiaozhou, deputy general manager of Pingxiang Southern International Travel Service Co., Ltd., has added over 10 Vietnamese tour guides to their team. "We've partnered with more than 20 Vietnamese travel agencies, and outbound tourism is booming. Many destinations in Vietnam have also become popular among Chinese tourists," Ye said.

According to data from Guangxi's general station of immigration inspection, as of Aug. 14 this year, 5.153 million passenger trips had been recorded at Dongxing Port, with an additional 1.482 million confirmed at Youyiguan Port.

Separated from the Vietnamese city of Mong Cai by only a river, Dongxing serves as a hub for close interactions between residents of China and Vietnam. With border resident certificates, individuals can easily travel back and forth within a day.

Each morning, residents cross the Beilunhe Bridge to trade or work in either Dongxing or Mong Cai, returning home before the port closes in the late afternoon.

Vo Thi Thanh Tam, a Vietnamese resident of Mong Cai who works at a store in Dongxing, described her daily routine: "It's just a 15-minute journey from my home to the border port, and I can quickly complete customs clearance with my border permit. I usually open the shop at 9 a.m. and go home at 6 p.m." She also noted the growing number of tourists visiting Dongxing, where Vietnamese goods are increasingly popular among visitors.

Guangxi shares a long border with Vietnam, encompassing eight border counties, cities and districts. In recent years, China and Vietnam have collaborated on a variety of exchange activities in these border areas, expanding both the scope and frequency of exchanges, and strengthening the bond between the two peoples.

Football matches have long been a tradition in the border regions where China and Vietnam meet. With 29 editions of the Lantern Festival Football Friendly Match held to date, the event has become a key platform for sports and cultural exchanges between Dongxing and Mong Cai, as well as an important means to foster cultural ties and promote friendly relations.

Du Long, coach of Dongxing's football team, emphasized that these matches not only facilitate more frequent communication between the two countries' residents but also help players from both nations build friendships through the game.

"Since the beginning of this year, in addition to the traditional football matches, we've introduced cross-border events that blend sports and tourism, such as the Sino-Vietnamese martial arts competition," said Fan Guoqing, director of the Culture, Radio, Television, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Dongxing. Fan added that more cross-border sports and cultural exchange activities are planned for the future.

A growing number of exchange activities, including artistic performances, fashion shows and local marriage customs experiences, are now in full swing along the China-Vietnam border. These initiatives are helping to promote cultural exchanges and enhance the friendship between the two nations. ■

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"So many people have changed their destination to travel to Thailand where they can get visa-free entry of up to 90 days, instead of Vietnam which requires visa runs every month," Miquel Angel, founder of the MQL sustainable travel solutions company, told VnExpress .

Angel said he was worried that visa problems could cause his company to lose potential partners.

He said one of his partners planned to come to Vietnam as a tourist and attend a meeting here. They booked a hotel and fixed a venue for the meeting. However, when the guests arrived at the airport, they were told not to fly to Vietnam because of visa policies.

Before Covid, visa regulations were pretty clear and everyone knew what to do. They needed to send the list of all those wishing to apply for a visa, add necessary documents and the results were sent via fax or e-mail. With the approval document, one could board a plane and get a visa on arrival at any port of entry in Vietnam.

After Covid, the visa procedures are not as clear, confusing foreigners and making it difficult for them to apply for a visa, Angel said.

Vietnam opened its doors partially to foreign tourists with tour packages to specific destinations in November 2021, before fully opening up on March 15. However, it has stopped the practice of issuing multi-entry visas for three months or longer, and is only issuing 30-day, single entry visas now.

The limited number of international flights is another barrier to Vietnam's tourism recovery.

Angel remarked that there were less international flights to Vietnam after the pandemic and it would be difficult for foreigners to come to Vietnam at this time.

Nguyen Ngoc Toan, director of the Images Travel Company, which focuses on European visitors, said the industry was facing the challenges of limited international flights and skyrocketing airfares that made foreign tourists consider choosing destinations near their homes to save money.

Vietnam received over 2.35 million foreign visitors in January-October, less than half of this year’s five-million target.

The number of foreign visitors this year is forecast to see a drop of 77% against 2019, making Vietnam one of slowest recovering tourism economies post pandemic, according to a report released by leading travel data & analytics company ForwardKeys.

Deep-rooted problems

However, visa and limited flights are not the really deep-rooted problems for Vietnam tourism.

Before the pandemic, Vietnam already recorded a low rate of return visitors at less than 10% against the figure of 70% in Thailand. Many foreigners said they had to face traffic dangers, noise pollution and scams while traveling in Vietnam.

German tourist Eric Warnken, who has visited Vietnam many times, said garbage, noise and road safety were his biggest concerns when he was in the country.

"The noise would be made everywhere by huge loudspeakers, often into early mornings, or by neighbors who are drunk and singing karaoke for hours, even though they can't sing at all," he said.

"Road traffic danger is also a problem. Motorcyclists do not stop at red lights and drive on footpaths. Nobody stops at crosswalks."

American tourist Justin Thompson said Vietnam seemed to be prioritizing economic development and new resorts over proper management of tourist resources.

"The otherwise beautiful coastline and countryside is spoiled by trash while museum exhibits lack good translated captions to educate visitors about Vietnam’s cultural and historical heritage, and many urban architectural treasures from the 20th century are being removed to make room for new buildings," he noted.

Asked if she would return to Vietnam if she had a chance, Eliza Nahapet of Armenia was emphatic: "No, I won't come back to Vietnam again."

She said careless drivers, traffic dangers and fraudsters had left a bad impression on her when she visited Vietnam for three months before the pandemic.

To attract more foreign tourists and fulfil this year's target, the tourism industry has been looking for ways to turn Vietnam into a better destination.

Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has proposed that Vietnam expands visa exemption for tourists from Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Europe, and the U.S. to boost recovery after more than two years of pandemic restrictions.

The government has sought recommendations from the tourism, foreign affairs and public security ministries for expanding the list of countries whose nationals can obtain visas online.

Officials have been working with travel agencies and aviation operators to boost tourism campaigns and promote Vietnam as a safe destination at international travel fairs.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said the industry has been witnessing a gradual recovery after reopening, but the quality of tourism services needed more attention, especially now, as the peak year-end travel season begins.

• Tắt chia sẻ

Việt Nam News

Hà nội tourism gift festival 2024 to highlight local handicrafts, cuisine.

HÀ NỘI The Hà Nội Tourism Gift Festival 2024 is scheduled to take place from August 23 to 25 at the pedestrian zone in front of Thống Nhất (Reunification) Park on Trần Nhân Tông street in Hà Nội's Hai Bà Trưng District.

The annual event aims to promote the capital’s image as a safe, friendly, quality, and attractive tourist destination to draw more visitors to Hà Nội during the National Day holidays. It’s also meant to mark the 70th anniversary of the Capital Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 - 2024) and respond to the Visit Vietnam Year - Điện Biên 2024.

The festival will introduce Vietnamese-branded tourism gifts to domestic and international tourists, help boost the gift manufacturing industry, and contribute to strengthening tourism and cultural connections.

At the same time, it is expected to help preserve, honour, and bring into play the unique values of local cultural heritage and traditional crafts in tourism development.

This year, the festival will highlight Hà Nội's typical dishes and promote food tours – a tourism trend in many countries. Visitors will not only experience food or drinks but also the cultural identity and life of the community at the destination, helping them explore the cultural story of Hà Nội behind each gift.

Various activities will be held at the three-day festival, including displaying exquisite tourism gift products, introducing tours, offering tour vouchers, and launching promotional programmes by local travel businesses.

There will be a space to showcase craft village products, a festival drum performance, Gong performances by Mường ethnic people from the suburban district of Thạch Thất, along with street circus, hip-hop, and flash mob performances, promising interesting experiences for visitors. VNA/VNS

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• Việt Nam concerned about recent developments in East Sea: Diplomat

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