Attracting High-Quality Tourists: Expanding Unilateral Visa Waivers

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Public Security will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study and propose more open visa policies, with a focus on expanding unilateral visa exemptions for major and high-potential source markets in order to attract high-quality international visitors. This is among a package of coordinated and breakthrough measures to promote sustainable tourism development, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Mai Văn Chính on Tuesday following the recent meeting of the State Steering Committee for Tourism. According to the announcement, Việt Nam’s tourism sector recorded strong and positive results in 2025, achieving impressive growth and reaffirming its role as a bright spot in the national economy. These achievements have been recognised by the World Tourism Organisation, which ranked Việt Nam among the world’s fastest-growing tourism destinations. The year 2026 is of particular significance, marked by the 14th National Party Congress, elections for deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for a new term, and the first year of implementation of the 2026–2030 five-year socio-economic development plan. Against a backdrop of continued global volatility, heightened risks and a slow economic recovery, and in order to meet Việt Nam’s targets of welcoming 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic travellers, ministries, sectors and localities are required to decisively address bottlenecks, shortcomings and constraints hindering tourism development. At the same time, they must put forward breakthrough solutions to generate tangible change. The Deputy Prime Minister called on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to take the lead, in coordination with relevant ministries, agencies and local authorities, in effectively implementing Resolution No 08-NQ/TW dated January 16, 2017, which aims to develop tourism into a spearhead economic sector. Priority should be given to restructuring source markets and improving the quality and competitiveness of Việt Nam’s tourism industry. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the 2017 Law on Tourism and related legal documents, proposing amendments, supplements or the removal of outdated provisions in order to create a more enabling legal framework for tourism development. The ministry is also required to closely monitor travel trends and visitor demand to formulate appropriate tourism product development strategies, with a focus on high-end, high-value-added segments such as green tourism, wellness tourism, MICE tourism and golf tourism. Particular attention should be paid to attracting international markets with high spending power and longer stays. In addition, the ministry should advise on adjustments and updates to the Tourism System Master Plan for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2045, ensuring alignment with urban and rural planning as well as administrative unit restructuring, thereby opening up new development space for the tourism sector. Deputy PM Chính assigned the Ministry of Public Security to further accelerate the application of information technology and digital transformation to improve electronic visa issuance procedures, simplify processes and shorten immigration clearance times at border checkpoints, creating maximum convenience for travellers. Notably, the ministry will coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to study and propose an expansion of unilateral visa exemptions for key and high-potential markets. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was instructed to intensify information dissemination and outreach on Việt Nam’s visa policies to international partners, while reviewing and proposing amendments to relevant legal documents to facilitate tourism promotion and marketing activities overseas. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will integrate the promotion of Việt Nam’s tourism brand and image into trade promotion programmes, international fairs and exhibitions, and leverage the bridging role of Việt Nam’s overseas trade offices to strengthen synergies between trade promotion and tourism promotion. The Ministry of Construction will continue to prioritise investment resources for the development of strategic infrastructure, including transport infrastructure such as airports, seaports, expressways and direct connections to national tourism sites and destinations, ensuring modernisation and seamless connectivity for travellers. Other ministries and agencies, within their assigned functions and responsibilities, were urged to proactively coordinate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in implementing practical solutions to accelerate tourism development in an effective and sustainable manner. People’s Committees of centrally run cities and provinces were requested to consider establishing or consolidating local tourism development steering committees; proactively review and adjust planning schemes; formulate tourism development projects aligned with local realities and regional planning orientations; and adopt policies to attract strategic investors and large enterprises to invest in tourism infrastructure, entertainment complexes and high-end resorts. Local authorities were also urged to strengthen state management of tourism, ensure environmental sanitation and food safety, and build a civilised, friendly and welcoming tourism environment. — VNS Society Condolences extended to Spain over high-speed train crash Earlier last Sunday, a northbound high-speed train carrying over 300 passengers traveling from Málaga to Madrid derailed and was struck by another high-speed service traveling in the opposite direction. 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