Viet Nam welcomes over 3 million int’l guests in Jan-Feb period
VGP - Viet Nam welcomed over 3 million foreign tourists in January-February period, a year-on-year increase of 68.7 percent against the same period last year, according to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
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South Korea remained the largest tourist source market with 844,000 visitors, accounting for 27.7 percent of the total foreign arrivals to Viet Nam, followed by China with 538,000, Taiwan with 198,000, the U.S. with 156,000.
Experts attributed the sharp rise to the ongoing favorable visa policy, tourism promotion campaigns and great efforts of local authorities, businesses, and people.
Tourism turnover was estimated at VND15 trillion (US$647 million) in February and VND28 trillion in the first two months. As of late February, the tourism sector fulfilled 15 percent of the year plan.
In 2024, Viet Nam targets to welcome 17-18 million foreign arrivals and completely revitalizes the tourism market equivalent to that in 2019 before the pandemic broke out.
Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh tasked immigration agencies to consider waiving visas for visits of six to 12 months for visitors of wealthy countries and expanding the list of countries whose citizens are exempt from visas.
The Ministry of Public Security was urged to promote administrative procedure reform, apply scientific and technological advances, and implement automation solutions in handling procedures for foreign nationals entering, residing and travelling safely in Viet Nam.
The ministry was tasked to put forward procedures for online exit and entry through facial recognition (FaceID) and electronic passports (e-Passports) to facilitate and expedite tourist travel./.
