Illustrative image. (Photo: tphcm.chinhphu.vn) HCM City (VNA) – The search for destinations in Vietnam has increased sharply after a new visa policy was approved by the National Assembly (NA), according to Agoda, a digital travelplatform.
The number ofsearches from foreign visitors planning for a long holiday in Vietnam, includingHo Chi Minh City, rose by 33% within two weeks after the approval of the policy whichextends the validity of tourist e-visas from 30 days to 90 days, and lengthen the duration of visa-free stays from 15 to45 days for visitors from certain countries.
Accordingto Agoda, the number of accommodation searches by visitors from Franceincreased by 72%, followed by the Netherlands, New Zealand, Germany and the USby 45%, 41%, 40% and 38%, respectively.
In terms of total searches of Vietnam's destinations, the US tookthe lead, surpassing Australia, Canada and Germany.
Agoda’s data analysis focused on long-haul travelers from NorthAmerica, the EU, Australia and New Zealand, who have faced stricter visarestrictions compared to their counterparts in Southeast Asia and the broaderAsia Pacific region. These travelers often endure longer and costlier returnflights, making them more inclined to seek extended vacations compared to thosewithin a shorter flight radius.
Following the visa policy change, India rose from 8th place to become the 2nd largestinternational market for hotel bookings in Vietnam, only behind the Republic ofKorea.
Statistics from HCM City’s Department of Tourism showed that foreign arrivals tothe city reached 2.3 million in the first seven months of this year, equivalent to 47.2% of the 2023 plan. In July alone, the city welcomed 419,100international travelers, up 45.7% against the same period last year.
Currently, many travel companies in HCM City have providedinformation on visa policy changes to partners in key markets such as Europe,the US and Australia./.
