How 'weighty' is the visa exemption policy for the tourism industry?

Visa-free policies can have a significant impact on the tourism industry, by making it easier for international visitors to visit a country and increasing the attractiveness of a destination.

Countries with efficient visa processing or visa-free policies often see a significant increase in tourists. Open visa policies reduce the hassle and cost of immigration procedures, according to an analysis by Skift , a US-based travel marketing and data company. For example, when a country relaxes its visa policies and allows visitors to enter without a visa or with a visa on arrival, the number of visitors and passengers often spikes. This can be seen in Vietnam and Uzbekistan. On the other hand, the openness of tourist visa procedures can affect a country's ability to attract tourists, affecting the speed of tourism recovery, especially after the pandemic. Because tourists consider visas as an expensive procedure, even if the amount of money spent is not much, factors such as distance from home to the visa agency, waiting time, service quality, etc. all affect the travel experience.

Autogate automatic immigration system at Tan Son Nhat International Airport Border Police. Photo: Anh Tu

Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour Travel, said that Vietnam's visa policy is now more open and expanded. Specifically, from August 15, 2023, Vietnam will issue e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories; visa exemption for citizens of 13 countries with a temporary stay of up to 45 days. This is a very important policy to create a breakthrough in attracting international visitors to Vietnam in the coming time. However, there are still some target markets of businesses specializing in inbound tourists, especially the US, that have not yet enjoyed an open visa policy. "That is a disadvantage in our competitive advantage," said Mr. Tran The Dung. "Currently, countries compete with each other, countries with friendly visa policies, long-term stays, and multiple entries and exits... will be more attractive to tourists," said Mr. Pham Ha, CEO of Lux Group. Currently, Vietnam unilaterally exempts visas for citizens from 13 countries and bilaterally exempts visas for 9 countries in Southeast Asia. In comparison, in the region, many countries have open visa policies to increase competitiveness on the tourism map. For example, Singapore exempts visas for citizens from 164 countries and territories; Malaysia is 162, the Philippines is 157, and Thailand is 64. Thailand continuously adjusts its visa policy, most recently exempting visas for Chinese and Indian visitors - two major markets in the global tourism industry. Previously, this country allowed international tourists to stay up to 45 days or 90 days, with multiple entries and exits. China, a major market in the global tourism industry, has recently adjusted its visa policy from December 2023 to promote the tourism industry. Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the country saw an average daily increase of 39% in international visitors from visa-free countries – France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia – in the first three days of December compared to the last day of November 2023. In addition, many countries are considering easing visa policies for Indian visitors, the world’s largest emerging outbound tourism market. In particular, Thailand has seen a surge in tourism demand after it exempted Indian visitors from visas. Agoda reported that searches for trips to Thailand by Indian visitors increased by 28% in November 2023, compared to 10 days before Thailand announced the new policy.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (4th from left, front) welcomes Chinese tourists at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, in September 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Malaysia and Sri Lanka are also waiving visa requirements for visitors from India and several other countries. Indonesia and Vietnam are also considering visa exemptions for Indian visitors. Nishant Pitti, CEO of EaseMyTrip, an India-based online travel platform, said the difficulty of obtaining a Schengen visa to travel to Europe is part of the reason Indian travelers are increasingly looking for shorter trips. “Getting a Schengen visa can be difficult and time-consuming, and the processing time can also impact travel plans,” Pitti told Skift .

Laodong.vn

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