As we noted last week, Vietnam has recently opened up its visa exemption to even more countries. Today, nationals from 15 countries can visit the country visa-free. Through this tactical effort, Vietnam hopes to enhance the nation’s long-term competitive position in international tourism and investment. Officials are instead looking to lure a greater number of higher-quality visitors.
Germany, France, Italy, and Spain are all profiting from this new policy. Other countries reaping these benefits are the United Kingdom, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland. This pioneering initiative is likely to boost Vietnam’s attractiveness as a destination for business and leisure travelers alike.
In the first quarter of 2025, Vietnam recorded over six million foreign arrivals, marking the highest number for any single quarter in its history. This increase in tourism is a testament to the success of the country’s long-term plans to draw in more international tourists.
As Vietnam charts its course to attract even more tourists, it is making strides toward developing a smart visa model. This new model will help attract experts, investors and high-income travelers who will directly support and expand the United States economy. The smart visa initiative aligns with the Politburo’s directive to prioritize the attraction of scientists and international experts in support of Vietnam’s science and technology goals.
To fully capitalize on its tourism potential, Vietnam recognizes the need to shift its mindset towards offering world-class service and a seamless visitor experience. The government is particularly focused on attracting high-income tourists who are willing to invest in premium services, resort real estate, or business ventures.
What industry experts say matters most is the maintenance of the visa exemption policy. As they explain, this is just one piece of the overall tourism puzzle. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director-General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach:
“In today’s competitive world, visa policy must be part of a broader strategy to make Vietnam a destination for investment, creativity and growth.”
Vietnam’s Ambassador to Poland, Ha Hoang Hai, further emphasized the positive impact of the visa exemption on tourism. This transformation became the base of the subsequent tighten relationship between Vietnam and Poland. In the first two months of 2025 alone, over 21,000 Polish tourists had registered to visit Vietnam.
Looking forward, Vietnam has set a target to receive between 20 to 23 million international arrivals by 2025. Fostering this new reality will undoubtedly take a whole-of-government, whole-of-economy approach, from tourism to soft diplomacy to new infrastructure building.
Foreign specialists recommend that Vietnam should have policies to grant long-term visas of five years or ten years. This would go a long way towards creating a welcoming environment for investors to your community and ensuring their long-term commitment to your market.
Ha Van Sieu stressed the necessity of creating an inviting atmosphere for experts:
“Vietnam needs a red-carpet approach, streamlined procedures that make it easier for experts to come, work and contribute over the long term.”
he pointed out that while visa-free entry is a step in the right direction:
“Visa-free entry gets people here, but retaining them is the real challenge.”
Vietnam, too, has seen the tremendous benefits that a flexible visa policy can bring. This transition is intended to make the country more appealing as an international travel hotspot.
“A flexible visa policy is an essential instrument to elevate a country’s appeal as a destination,” said Ha Van Sieu.
In many ways, Vietnam is still figuring out its approach to foreign visitors and investors. To realize this ambitious goal, the nation is developing strategies to bring in the people, the money, and the ideas.
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