As Vietnam is looking for ways to lure more international visitors, an “open door” visa policy is seen as a lever that helps the country reach its set target, according to insiders.

The capital Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City, and other locations promise unforgettable experiences for tourists in Vietnam, according to recommendations by the Times of India.

Tourism is expected to directly contribute 8-9 per cent and 13-14 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

Some airlines have proposed that the government continue to ease visa rules to attract more foreign visitors, especially those from key markets such as Australia, the United States, Japan, India and China, to Vietnam.

Vietnam has not attracted many Islamic travelers because it lacks Halal-standard restaurants and places for travelers to pray, and has not focused on marketing.

With impressive natural landscapes and a rich and diverse culture, Vietnam has abundant potential to promote tourism through the film industry.

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) is set to coordinate with localities to hold various tourism promotion activities abroad in the next few months in efforts to attract more international visitors to the country.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung has put forward a number of solutions aimed at developing Vietnamese tourism services on par with regional levels at the ongoing sitting of the National Assembly.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) will work with local authorities to apply night-time tourism models in 12 key localities.

The tourism industry is in desperate need of qualified workers as the peak summer travel season begins.

Vietnam is Asia’s third fastest growing destination for European globetrotters based on accommodation searches, according to digital travel platform Agoda.

Vietnam served nearly 7.6 million international holiday-makers in the first five months of this year, up 64.9% year-on-year and 3.9% compared to the same period in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Vietnam’s Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) has fallen by three grades because of weakness in service infrastructure. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) says the ranking is not really reasonable.

Localities in Vietnam have been taking actions to develop smart tourism ecosystem to attract visitors in the digital era.

A video showing foreign travelers paddling in shallow water, spattered with mud, and transplanting rice seedlings in Sa Pa in Lao Cai has attracted millions of views.

The development capacity index of the Vietnamese tourism industry ranked 59th this year, a drop of seven places compared to 2022, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s latest report.

A Thailand-initiated single visa programme of six ASEAN countries is expected to help Vietnam attract more long-haul and high-spending travelers, according to insiders.

BestPrice Travel has recently promoted its “Taste Vietnam” campaign in New York’s Times Square, presenting images of Vietnam to the whole world.

“Net Dep Viet” (Beauty Vietnam) Season 2 programme will go live on social media platform TikTok as part of the country’s tourism promotion programme.

According to tourism experts, a large number of foreign visitors do not book package tours or rarely use services provided by travel agencies except small-valued ones. That will result in the low profitability of Vietnamese travel agencies.