The Vietnamese tourism industry served 13 million domestic tourists in January, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Philippines is set to launch a value-added tax (VAT) refund programme for foreign tourists in 2024 to attract more visitors, according to the country’s Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
The tourism sector raked in about 9.6 trillion VND (408.3 million USD) in revenue during the three-day 2023 New Year holiday, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported on January 4.
Vietnam welcomed over 2.35 million international visitors in the first 10 months of this year, 18.8 times higher than the figure in the same period last year, but still down 83.7% compared with the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
Fantastic products introduced by local authorities have been a breath of fresh air in Hanoi’s tourism offerings, making the capital more attractive to both domestic and international visitors.
Localities should revamp their tourism products focusing on cultural demand to attract more international visitors, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said at a Q&A session during the 14th sitting of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee in Hanoi on August 10.
Ben Thanh Market is a cultural symbol of old Saigon and also the largest shopping attraction for international tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City. After 2 years of silence due to COVID-19, the market has become vibrant again over recent months as the number of tourists increases.
Three months have passed since Vietnam completely reopened its tourism activities, including both inbound and outbound tours. While domestic travel is witnessing a boom, stronger efforts are needed to seize post-pandemic opportunities to attract more international visitors.
Foreign arrivals to Vietnam jumped over 70 percent month-on-month in May, following the removal of travel restrictions and over two weeks of SEA Games 31 competitions.
Malaysia’s tourism industry aims to earn 47-77 billion ringgit (11.7 – 19.2 billion USD) from international visitors by 2025, according to Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Nancy Shukri.
The Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering the replacement of mandatory PCR testing for foreign tourists with COVID rapid antigen tests certified by a competent authority from May 1.
The central province of Quang Binh has adopted a number of measures to fulfil its target of welcoming about 10,000 international tourists in 2022. Among these are introducing new tourism products and services and opening air routes connecting the province with major tourist centres nationwide.
The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) will take place from March 31 to April 3, which is considered an event marking the reopening of the Vietnamese tourism sector in the new normal, said the Vietnam Tourism Association (VTA) at a press briefing to introduce the event on March 18.
Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Le Thi Thu Hang on March 17 provided more details about Vietnam’s plan to reopen its door to foreign visitors, including regulations on arrivals and medical requirements.
Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport welcomed the first international commercial flight on March 15 morning after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government’s decision to open the country’s doors to international tourists from March 15 has sparked optimism about the resilience of the tourism industry after 2 years of being “frozen” by the pandemic.
Nine tourist destinations in Ho Chi Minh City have recently been allowed to welcome international visitors under a pilot program, according to the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.