Saudi Arabia considers issuing e-visas to Vietnamese visitors

Saudi Arabia is considering issuing e-visas to visitors from Vietnam as well as weighing the possibility of bilateral visa exemptions.

During Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Saudi Arabia, on the afternoon of October 19, at the headquarters of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Tourism , the signing ceremony of the "Action Program in the field of tourism" between the two countries took place. Minister Nguyen Van Hung had a bilateral working session with Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud, Deputy Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia.

Also attending the event were Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhereiji and Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Abdulaziz Al-Duailej. On the Vietnamese side, there were Director of the International Cooperation Department Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Airlines Dang Ngoc Hoa and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietjet Air Nguyen Thanh Hung.

A famous tourist destination in Saudi Arabia located in the middle of the desert. Photo: Wtravelmagazine — A famous tourist destination in Saudi Arabia located in the middle of the desert. Photo: *Wtravelmagazine*

Deputy Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Al-Duaile said that the relationship between the two countries is increasingly developing in many fields. Saudi Arabia has sent Vietnamese authorities a draft visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders. Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Duaile believes that, after being signed, the agreement will create conditions for the two countries to consider the possibility of bilateral visa exemption for tourists from both sides.

Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud said she is considering issuing e-visas for tourists from Vietnam. The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Tourism will work with domestic travel and tourism companies to research and develop product packages that suit the tastes of Vietnamese tourists. The princess hopes to soon establish direct flights between the two countries.

The signing of the "Action Program in the field of tourism" originated from the initiative of the two ministers during a bilateral working session in late August in Vietnam. The program proposed measures to enhance the exchange and sharing of information and experience; statistics on the Halal market; tourist demand; development of tourism human resource training; organization of joint tourism promotion events; and seeking tourism investment opportunities.

Minister Nguyen Van Hung said Vietnam always wants to strengthen international cooperation to build and develop a Halal tourism value chain suitable to the tastes of tourists from Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia.

In February, the Prime Minister issued a Decision approving the Project "Strengthening international cooperation to build and develop Vietnam's Halal industry by 2030". This is the first project to provide national-level orientations to open up the potential Halal market, in which tourism is considered one of the priority areas for Saudi Arabia. Vietnam has also applied e-visas for citizens of all countries and territories entering Vietnam.

Minister Nguyen Van Hung also proposed that Saudi Arabia support Vietnam in learning about tourist tastes and the Halal market, and building standards and regulations on Halal tourism.

As one of the largest countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia aims to attract more than 100 million tourists by 2030, making tourism the country's second largest source of revenue, behind only oil. In September 2019, Saudi Arabia officially launched tourist visas. Four years after opening to international tourists, the revenue from tourism is 49.3 billion USD. Also in 2022, Saudi Arabia will welcome more than 90 million international and domestic visitors.

Vietjet Aviation Company Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Hung said that with a market of more than 34 million people in Saudi Arabia and 100 million people in Vietnam, "the potential for tourism and air transport between the two countries is huge; even opening up opportunities to access the entire ASEAN market and the Asian region".

Phuong Anh

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