HANOI, 13 November 2015: Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism projects tourism will become the country’s key economic driver by 2020.

VietnamNet Bridge media quoted tourism minister, Hoang Tuan Anh, saying that with the growth in international visitors at 7.2% a year and 5.3% for domestic visitors, tourism will become the main economic driver by 2020.

Vietnam is projected to welcome 10 to 10.5 million international tourists and 47 to 48 million domestic tourists by 2020, with total revenue reaching USD18 to USD19 billion, contributing 6.5% to 7% of GDP, the report said.

The hotel business musters around 580,000 rooms, with 35% to 40% of the rooms in the three to five-star categories, employing 870,000 people directly and 3 million indirectly. By 2030 revenue is forecast to double compared with 2020.

This year, Vietnam targets 7 to 7.5 million international tourists and 36 to 37 million domestic tourists, with revenue of USD10 to USD11 billion, contributing 5.5% to 6% in GDP.

Besides tourism campaigns, attendance at trade fairs and roadshows to key markets, visa exemption is considered a vital tool to encourage tourism growth.

The government is seeking feedback from relevant authorities on a proposal to grant visa-free entry for tourists who buy tour packages from certain Vietnamese international travel agents.

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies are studying the proposal.

Starting 1 July, citizens from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy were granted visa exemptions to visit Vietnam for up to 15 days. That particular waiver applies for one year.

The visa exemption for Belarus also started 1 July, valid until 2020.

Vietnam also offers visa-free travel to seven countries; Japan, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Russia.

It also has a visa-free policy for nine ASEAN countries; Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.

The country will allow foreigners married to Vietnamese, resident in the country or overseas, visa-free entry effective 15 November.

It should encourage more than 4.5 million Vietnamese, who are working and living outside Vietnam, to return home on holidays more frequently by easing entry procedures.

News source: ttrweekly.com