Visa exemptions to help regain tourism

They spoke during a workshop held bythe Vietnam Tourism Association in Hanoi on May 25. The Governmentshould give visa exemptions to citizens of France, the UK, Germany andAustralia to encourage visitors from these nations, they said.

Vietnam unilaterally exempts visas for citizens of Japan, the Republicof Korea, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Russia. It bilaterally grants30-day exemptions for citizens from nine out of the 10 ASEAN memberstates.

The number of international holidaymakersdropped from June 2014 to April 2015, with the growth rate falling from34.8 percent in 2010 to 4 percent in 2014.

Chairmanof the Vietnam Tourism Association Nguyen Huu Tho attributed the declinein numbers to changes in visa, transit and cruise travel regulationsand the National Administration of Tourism’s ineffective coordinationbetween localities.

He said he regarded existingtourism promotion efforts unprofessional, adding that there was ashortage of large-scale promotion campaigns. The prevalence ofineffective small-scale campaigns has muted the tourism industry’s imagedomestically and internationally, he added.

Insufficient support for the creation of tourism services and a lack ofqualified staff were also contributing factors, Tho said.

He also highlighted a number of global economic developments, such asthe appreciation of USD, the depreciation of EUR and JPY, and fallingoil prices, which undermined people’s willingness to spend money ontravel.

Many localities have re-established tourism departments under the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Experts said travel companies should participate more inpromotion programmes and strengthen ties with their counterparts toprovide high-quality, affordable services.

Visa exemptions to help regain tourism

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