Asia specialists welcomes relaxation of Vietnam visa policy
James ChappleAsia specialists InsideAsia Tours and Experience Travel Group has welcomed Vietnam’s plans to relax its visa policies.
InsideAsia said the move would allow travellers "to get deeper into what makes Vietnam so good", while ETG said removing barriers to travel was "the most effective way of boosting demand to any country".
From 15 August, Vietnam will extend the duration of its e-visas from 30 days to 90 days, while its visa waiver policy – which grants visitors from 25 countries, including the UK, visa-free entry – has been extended from 15 days to 45 days.
The changes were approved by Vietnam’s national assembly at the weekend. It means UK travellers will be able to visit Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa, and stay for up to 90 days on an e-visa alone.
"We are wholly welcoming of the move which will allow our customers longer, more meaningful cultural adventures in this beautiful country," said InsideAsia senior southeast Asia product executive Charlotte Bower.
"We can give people a taster in two weeks, [but] a longer trip will allow people to get deeper into what makes Vietnam so good."
Bower said that while InsideAsia can tailor trips to suit different timeframes, the relaxed rules would provide for "a better quality of cultural adventure", allowing guests to get deeper into rural Vietnam and life on the Mekong, while also having more time to experience the country’s cities and coastline.
Gabo Quiros, InsideAsia’s UK trade manager, added: "This is great news and will enable us to make Vietnam travel easier and even more fulfilling for our trade partners and their customers."
ETG co-founder and managing director Sam Clark said: "We’re really pleased about this news. Removing barriers to travel is the most effective way of boosting demand to any country.
"There is so much to see and experience in Vietnam – many of our travellers stay three weeks or even more exploring all that Vietnam has to offer. Any incentive for travellers to stay longer and explore more thoroughly has to be welcomed."
TTG has approached the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board in the UK for further details.
Earlier this year, chair Kien Tran Trong said the country was hopeful of doubling tourist numbers this year to around eight million after welcoming 3.6 million arrivals in 2022.
The UK was Vietnam’s top European market last year, with a total of 93,794 visitors. Later this year, Vietnam will resume daily services from Heathrow to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
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