HCM City wants longer visa-free stay for Europeans

The Prime Minister issued a decision allowing passport holders from theUK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain to enjoy a visa waiver for theirtrips of no more than 15 days in Vietnam from this month as a measure toreverse a decline in foreign arrivals.

In the first half of this year, HCMC attracted more than 2.16 millioninternational visitors, up a mere 3% compared to the same period lastyear. But international arrivals nationwide dropped 11.3% year-on-yearto about 3.8 million.

To attract more foreign visitors to Vietnam, travel firms in HCMC saidEuropeans should be offered a longer visa-free stay to participate intrans-Vietnam tours or trips taking in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam,according to the HCMC Department of Tourism.

Ung Phuong Dung, director of Indochina Services, told the Daily thatabout 50% of the company’s European guests book tours of more than 15days, particularly trans-Indochina trips.

Many European tour operators complained that Vietnam’s visa policy fornationals of the five European countries has not been as liberal asexpected because they are required to apply for a visa if they stay morethan 15 days in Vietnam and return to Vietnam after finishing theirtours in a third country.

In addition, the Government only allows a one-year visa exemptionperiod for passport holders of the five European nations beforeconsidering extension. This is not favorable for European tourists whooften draw up travel plans long before their departures.

The HCMC Department of Tourism is preparing to submit the proposals oflocal travel firms to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for itto forward them to the Government.

In addition to visa waivers for citizens of the ASEAN countries,Vietnam has granted unilateral visa exemptions for Norway, Finland,Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Belarus, Japan and South Korea.

HCM City wants longer visa-free stay for Europeans

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