Foreign visitors in Q1 surge nearly 90 percent

Arrivals from Asian countries surged 37.5 percent year-on-year to 58,495, accounting for over half of total foreign arrivals in the first three months of this year, according to a report released by the General Statistics Office (GSO) on Tuesday.

Entrants from Europe surged by 360 percent year-on-year to 16,635 and arrivals from Australia increased by 850 percent year-on-year to 3,111.

The number of foreign passengers arriving in Vietnam by air also increased by 165 percent year-on-year as the Vietnamese government allowed the resumption of regular flights from Jan. 1.

So far, Vietnam has resumed commercial flights to 20 of 28 countries and territories that it operated direct flights to before the pandemic, including the U.S.

From March 15, Vietnam reopened its border to foreign tourists and resumed its pre-pandemic visa exemption policy for citizens from 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea and European economies.

Foreigners entering Vietnam only need to furnish a negative Covid-19 test certificate.

In 2019, before the onset of Covid-19, Vietnam had received a record 18 million foreign tourists.

The target this year is to welcome five to six million foreign tourists.