China, South Korea loosen visa policies for Vietnamese travellers
VGP - Both China and South Korea have announed that they will loosen visa policies for several countries, including Viet Nam in a bid to stimulate economic and tourism growth.
Vietnamese tourists to the RoK - Illustration photo
Specifically, the Chinese foreign ministry said on December 8 that it will cut visa fees by 25 percent for travelers from countries such as Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam, from Dec. 11, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2024.
This is the latest move of China to increase inbound travel from foreign tourists and business people amid a stuttering recovery in the world's second-largest economy.
The visa fee for Vietnamese citizens entering China starts from US$45.
Meanwhile, South Korea planned to waive e-visa fee for tourist groups from Viet Nam, the Philippines and Indonesia in 2024 with an aim to attract 20 million foreign tourists and create US$24.5 billion in tourism revenue next year.
South Korea will also introduce a tentatively named K-culture training visa and a digital nomad visa next year to attract foreign nationals who are keen to explore Korean culture./.
