The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism announced on Wednesday that, in the first half of 2023, Vietnam has welcomed over 5.57 million foreign tourists. During the same period, the estimated number of domestic tourists reached 64 million. The total revenue generated from tourism was estimated at VND343.1 trillion (equivalent to US$14.6 billion).
In June alone, Vietnam experienced a 6.4% increase in international travelers, with over 975,000 visitors arriving compared to the previous month.
The main markets for Vietnam’s tourism industry were South Korea, mainland China, Taiwan, the United States, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, and Australia.
Vietnam’s tourism has been witnessing a consistent growth in search volume through Google’s market trend tracking tool since the beginning of this year. Among the top 10 destinations globally with the highest growth, Vietnam was the only Southeast Asian nation listed.
The increasing search volume for Vietnam indicates a strong recovery in demand, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). This provides Vietnam with excellent opportunities to attract international visitors in the near future.
A noteworthy development in this regard is that the National Assembly approved an extension of tourist e-visas from 30 to 90 days, starting from August 15, 2023. Under this new policy, foreigners granted an e-visa can enter and exit Vietnam an unlimited number of times within a 90-day period, eliminating the need to obtain a new visa.
Citizens of countries unilaterally exempted from visas by Vietnam will now be granted temporary residence for 45 days (previously 15 days). They can also be considered for visa issuance and temporary residence extension in accordance with regulations.
These new policies are expected to facilitate Vietnam in attracting a significant number of international visitors, particularly during the peak season starting around September, as highlighted by the VNAT.
Last year, Vietnam received 3.66 million foreign tourists and had set a target of welcoming 8 million tourists this year, with an estimated revenue of around VND650 trillion ($27.6 billion) from tourism services. This target was established before China, Vietnam’s primary tourist market, announced its reopening in February.
