Vietnam has been officially added to the list of countries to which Chinese nationals can travel on outbound tours from March 15.

The number of foreign tourists to Vietnam remains modest after one year of tourism reopening.

Travel firms think the current visa policy is affecting the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam. The number of countries with visa waiver remains modest, and the length of visa is too short.

VN will expand the list of countries eligible for visa exemptions and extend the duration of stay for international tourists as part of the efforts to support the tourism sector, PM Pham Minh Chinh said.

Chinese travel firms have firmly backed the recovery of the Vietnamese market and are actively preparing tourism products in a bid to capitalise on opportunities during the upcoming holiday.

Vietnam plans to receive 8 million foreign travelers in 2023, the same level as Cambodia. But airlines and traveler firms are complaining about poor patronage.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chaired an online national conference on tourism on March 15, which is aimed at accelerating recovery and development of the sector.

Vietnamese travel firms say partners have begun contacting them to ask for information about tours after China announced the resumption of group tours to Vietnam beginning March 15.

The situation has not only cost the business time and human resources, but also significant financial damage.

Many people believe that Vietnam’s tourism industry should make further efforts to draw international tourists from markets such as India, Australia and Southeast Asia.

The reopening of group tours to Vietnam has been welcomed by Chinese people and travel firms.

Vietnam should revise its inefficient visa policy or it will lose out to regional neighbours in attracting foreign travelers, said experts at a recent seminar held in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Chinese Government has decided to add Vietnam into the list of countries to which China’s group tours can be conducted starting from March 15, according to Peng Shituan, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam.

Travel+Leisure magazine of the United States has named Vietnam among its list of the Top 21 life-changing trips holiday goers should experience at least once.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued Decision No. 440/QD-BVHTTDL on Vietnam Tourism Marketing Strategy to 2030.

Vietnam was unable to meet its goal of welcoming five million international tourists in 2022.

Total revenue from domestic and foreign tourists in the first two months of 2023 reached 85.6 trillion VND (over 3.6 billion USD), the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) reported on March 2.

After a long hibernation period in 2020-2021 because of Covid-19, the tourism industry is recovering well thanks to the great efforts of the government, localities and travel firms.

Complicated procedures for visas to Vietnam are disappointing many foreign tourists, resulting in travelers deciding to choose other regional destinations.

The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam reached more than 1.8 million in the first two months of the year, a figure 36.6 times higher compared to the same period from last year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) announced on February 28.