According to the VietNamNet Online Newspaper, “Vietnam welcomed more than 6.2 million foreign visitors in the first half of 2017, up 30.2% against last year, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported on June 28.” A VN Express International report further adds, “In the month which saw the country suffer from two typhoons, Vietnam still welcomed about 899,738 foreign visitors, rising 6.3 percent from July and jumping 34.4 percent year on year.”
Despite being a mostly agrarian country, Vietnam is currently one of the world’s fastest growing economies. Many professionals and entrepreneurs visit Vietnam each year for trade and economic activities. Likewise, a large number of international tourists also holiday in Vietnam to explore its beaches, rivers, French colonial landmarks, Buddhist pagodas, and museums. But the number of international tourists to Vietnam increased suddenly to 30% in the first half of 2017.
The sudden surge in international visitors can be attributed to the visa exemptions programs from five European countries – United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The international tourists from these five countries can stay in Vietnam without visa for 15 days. The visa exemption programs persuade many European tourists to prefer Vietnam to other popular holiday destinations. Many international tourists visit Vietnam to explore its scenic beauty and distinct culture. However, a surge was also noted in the number of Asian and African tourists.
A 34% surge was noted in the number of Asian tourists. According to VietnamBreakingNews.com, “Of these, there were 3.82 million visitors from Asia, up 34.4 per cent year-on-year.” Most of these visitors travel to Vietnam by air to avail benefits like visa on arrival. Many online Vietnam Visa Services provided by various agencies further make it easier for many international tourists to avail visa on arrival without making multiple trips to the Vietnamese Embassy. Like visa exemption programs, online visa services also encourage many international tourists to holiday in Vietnam. The number of international tourists is expected to keep growing till 2018 and contribute towards Vietnam’s GDP growth.
