Vietnam wants to get more tourists from all over the world, so they are thinking about letting Indian tourists in without a visa. Like Bhutan and Sri Lanka have already done. India is now seen as a big player in foreign tourism thanks to this move. Vietnam’s Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Nguyen Van Hung, says that people from both India and China can visit for short amounts of time without a visa. A few European countries are the only ones where people can visit Vietnam right now without a visa.
Key Statistics:
- 10 million people visited Vietnam in the first 10 months of this year, which is a huge number. In other words, 4.6 times more than during the same time last year.
- The rise was higher than what Vietnam thought it would be at the end of the year 2023. This shows that the country is becoming more and more famous as a place to visit.
Like Thailand and Sri Lanka, Vietnam may soon let Indians visit without a visa, which is part of a larger trend. Indian tourists no longer need a visa to visit Thailand; they can stay for 30 days, and that time can be extended if needed. For the same reason, Sri Lanka started a test program that lets people from India, China, and Russia visit visa-free until March 31, 2024.
Changing Travel Patterns:
Booking.com and McKinsey & Company did a study that shows Indian tourists want to go to more than the regular vacation spots. They want one-of-a-kind, interesting encounters. This change is due to India’s strong economy, rising middle class, and large number of young people. Skift has written before about how Indian tourists like to visit places with easy entry requirements. So they don’t have to go through the trouble of getting a visa.
Vietnam wants to be a place that lots of people from India want to visit. Who would like to see many things without having to worry about getting a ticket. Indian tourists are interested in this possible change, and it would show that the rest of the world is becoming more aware of how India affects travel from other countries.
Vietnam Explores Visa-Free Access for Indians and Chinese
As a way to boost its tourism industry, Vietnam is thinking about letting Indian and Chinese tourists enter the country without a visa. At a recent meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggested this plan as a way to boost tourism in the country. Besides that, he suggested that tourists from wealthy countries like Australia, Canada, the U.S., and the last 20 members of the 27-member European Union should not need visas.
Visa Policy Insights:
- Currently, citizens of select European countries, including Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Denmark, and Finland, can already explore Vietnam without the need for a visa.
- Vietnam is expanding its visa options, offering e-visas with a 90-day validity and multiple-entry allowances for individuals from all countries, showcasing its commitment to facilitating international travel.
- If the proposed visa-free entry for Indians and Chinese is implemented, Vietnam will join the ranks of Sri Lanka and Thailand in providing this convenient option for Indian travelers.
Global Trends in Visa Policies:
- Sri Lanka’s Pilot Project: The Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved the issuance of free visas as a pilot project until March 31, 2024, targeting individuals from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. This move aims to boost tourist arrivals and highlights a trend among nations to simplify entry procedures for selected countries.
- Thailand’s Welcoming Gesture: Thailand, in a bid to attract more tourists, recently announced a six-month visa-free entry period for tourists from India and Taiwan. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavision emphasized the goal of increasing tourist arrivals to five million in the coming years.
The Ripple Effect:
India and China may soon be able to visit Vietnam without a visa, which will change the way people move around the world. Countries are realizing that making it easier to get visas is important for bringing in tourists and improving relationships between countries. The suggested changes are in line with how visitors’ tastes are changing. They would make things easier for everyone and help people from different cultures interact.
Conclusion
Finally, Vietnam’s possible changes to visa rules show a forward-thinking attitude to tourism, similar to what Sri Lanka and Thailand are doing. New rules are making the travel business more flexible, which means more types of trips are possible. This makes the world easier to explore and more linked.
