Opportunity to attract rich European customers

Visa exemption policy when entering Vietnam for citizens of Poland, Czech Republic, Switzerland is implemented from March 1 to the end of 2025.

On January 15, the Government issued Resolution 11/NQ-CP on visa exemption under the Tourism Development Stimulus Program in 2025 for citizens of the following countries: Poland, the Czech Republic and the Swiss Confederation.

Good news for the tourism industry

Accordingly, Polish, Czech and Swiss citizens are exempted from visas when entering Vietnam with a temporary stay of 45 days from the date of entry, applicable for tourism purposes under the programs of international travel businesses in Vietnam, regardless of passport type and complying with entry conditions as prescribed by law.

This policy is effective from March 1 to December 31, 2025, within the framework of the 2025 Tourism Development Stimulus Program.

Foreign tourists, especially European tourists, love to visit Hanoi. Photo: LAN ANH

According to information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , these are our country's three important partners in Europe. Of which, Vietnam has had a traditional friendship and good multifaceted cooperation over the past 75 years with Poland and the Czech Republic. With Switzerland, the two countries have a history of cultivating relations and multifaceted cooperation over the past 50 years. Switzerland was also one of the first Western countries to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1971.

Speaking to a reporter from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper on the afternoon of January 16, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Tourism Company, said that this policy will create favorable conditions for citizens of the three countries of Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland to come to Vietnam without having to worry about visa procedures, helping to increase the number of visitors from these potential markets. At the same time, it will extend the length of stay of tourists, thereby increasing spending, directly contributing to the revenue of Vietnam's tourism industry.

"Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland are tourist markets with high spending levels when traveling, prioritizing high-quality resort experiences and unique cultural experiences, which will contribute to promoting the high-end tourism market in Vietnam. In addition, this policy also creates a premise for Vietnamese tourism to access other markets in the EU region" - Ms. Phuong Hoang commented.

According to Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour Travel Service Company, Poland and some Eastern European countries are the traditional international tourist markets of this company. Therefore, the visa exemption for the three countries Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland is "very good" news for businesses and international tourists.

These tourist markets are being promoted by Vietluxtour and foreign partners in the form of charter flights with large numbers. This type of customer often books tours at the last minute, so visa exemption will stimulate their demand even more.

"Customers in these markets really like to go on beach vacation tours, with a schedule of 12-14 days. Vietnam has strengths with many destinations such as beautiful beaches, diverse tourism products and services, and accommodation facilities that meet the needs and number of customers well," said Mr. Dung.

Great opportunity for trade and investment

To effectively exploit the above policy, businesses suggest that the tourism industry needs to increase information promotion so that visitors in these three markets know, understand, and plan their trips during the year.

Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang said that tourism businesses and management agencies can take advantage of this policy to carry out promotional campaigns in the Polish, Czech and Swiss markets; emphasizing the advantages of visa exemption, beautiful landscapes and cuisine of Vietnam. In addition, the new policy also helps reduce barriers for businessmen from Poland, Czech and Switzerland when coming to Vietnam to survey the market, meet partners or participate in economic conferences; their business communities can conveniently implement investment cooperation projects in many fields.

"Enterprises from the Czech Republic and Switzerland have strengths in high technology and finance, and can invest in infrastructure projects, contributing to promoting sustainable development for Vietnam," Ms. Phuong Hoang said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Trung Dung, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Dh Foods Joint Stock Company - who lived in Poland for 30 years before returning home to restart his business, expressed his indescribable joy when hearing about the visa exemption policy for visitors from Poland, Czech Republic and Switzerland. "The Party and the State have made a quick and timely decision, in line with the wishes of businesses, especially the tourism industry," Mr. Dung said.

Mr. Dung said that he is still active in the Vietnamese community in Poland. According to him, Polish, Czech and Swiss people love Vietnam very much and have a high demand for tourism. Therefore, when they are exempted from visas, they can take advantage of their vacation to fly to Vietnam without having to plan in advance.

In these countries, many Vietnamese restaurants are very popular but only serve basic dishes. Therefore, when coming to Vietnam, they will have the need to experience original and rich dishes. Vietnam is also rated as having good security, being the priority choice of tourists in the Southeast Asian countries. Tourists will have the need to experience many localities by road, not just by air and to big cities.

"This is a group of wealthy customers, including many businessmen, which will open up many opportunities for trade and investment cooperation in the coming time. Vietnam has many cheap, good quality goods, so trade connections will be stronger," Mr. Dung believes.

Top Partners

Poland and the Czech Republic are Vietnam's leading trade partners in the Central and Eastern European region. Cooperation in areas such as defense - security, education - training, science - technology, culture - sports and tourism, labor, etc. has developed positively. People-to-people exchanges have been maintained and enhanced. In 2024, Vietnam welcomed about 50,000 Polish tourists and about 25,000 Czech tourists. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese community in Poland has about 25,000 people and in the Czech Republic about 100,000 people.

For Switzerland, this is a partner with a leading position in the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), an important trade partner of Vietnam in Europe and the 6th largest investor of Europe in Vietnam with a total registered capital of about 2.1 billion USD. Cooperation in areas such as education - training, science - technology and innovation, sustainable development, culture - tourism has great potential to promote. The relationship between the two countries is promoted through the friendship bridge of the Vietnamese community in Switzerland with about 10,000 people, always looking towards the homeland, the country and integrating, making positive contributions to the host country.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/co-hoi-hut-khach-nha-giau-chau-au-196250116210145761.htm