Number of foreign visitors to Vietnam up 7% in February

In the first two months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 1.8 million foreign arrivals, around 60% of pre-pandemic levels and nearly one-fourth of this year’s 8-million target, according to data from the General Statistics Office.

South Korea continued to be Vietnam’s biggest feeder market followed by the United States.

The number of Chinese arrivals during the January-February period reached over 70,000, mainly experts and businessmen as China has yet to allow its nationals to travel to Vietnam.

Tourism and aviation experts recently urged the government to expand its visa exemption list and allow a maximum stay of up to 30 days to help the country compete with Southeast Asian neighbors.

Vietnam waives visas for travelers from just 25 countries compared to 162 for Malaysia, 157 for the Philippines and 65 for Thailand.

Experts also suggested the government resume its multi-entry three-month visa policy that was available before Covid. Vietnam now offers a one-month single-entry e-visa to visitors from 80 countries.

Despite being one of the first Southeast Asian countries to fully reopen tourism, Vietnam just received 3.6 million foreign tourists last year, lagging far behind Thailand’s11.5 million foreign visitors.