Vietnam National Administration of Tourism promotes tourism in Switzerland, introduces new visa policies and incentives for this market

May 8, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland - In a continuous effort to promote the country's image and attract international tourists to realize Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP of the Government issued on January 15, 2025 on visa exemption under the Tourism Development Stimulus Program in 2025 for citizens of the Republic of Poland, the Czech Republic and the Swiss Confederation, aiming to welcome 22 - 23 million international tourists, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in coordination with the Tourism Development Support Fund successfully organized the Vietnam Tourism Introduction Program in Geneva, Switzerland. The event especially emphasized the new, more open visa policy, expected to create a boost for the Swiss tourist market, while further tightening the bilateral tourism cooperation relationship.

The program was attended by Mr. Phung The Long, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Switzerland; Mr. Mai Phan Dung, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hue City, along with the Departments of Tourism of Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang and many representatives of tourism businesses, travel agencies and media agencies of the two countries.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh emphasized: "This event is a vivid demonstration of the interest, commitment and joint efforts in enhancing tourism development cooperation between Vietnam and Switzerland - two countries with a long-standing friendly relationship and great potential for mutual support". The Director also highlighted the significance of the program in the context of the two countries celebrating the 54th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations (1971 - 2025) and the bilateral relationship having just been upgraded to the level of "Comprehensive Partnership" in January 2025, creating a solid foundation to expand and deepen cooperation in the tourism sector.

One of the key contents that has attracted great attention is the introduction of Vietnam's new visa policy, creating more favorable conditions than ever for Swiss tourists. Specifically, according to the regulations effective from March 1 to December 31, 2025, Swiss citizens entering Vietnam under the tourism program of Vietnamese international travel agencies will be exempted from visas for up to 45 days. "This is an important step to attract more tourists from this market," Director Nguyen Trung Khanh affirmed. At the same time, the Vietnamese tourism industry is actively proposing that in the near future, Swiss citizens can travel to Vietnam on their own without a visa, meeting the flexible travel trend of international tourists.

The program also introduces to Swiss partners and tourists a Vietnam with diverse beauty, from UNESCO-recognized world cultural heritages such as Ha Long Bay, Hoi An Ancient Town, Hue Monuments Complex with Royal Court Music, to majestic natural landscapes and unique tourism products, suitable for the tastes of Swiss tourists who love sustainable tourism, cultural exploration and in-depth experiences. Destinations such as Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Trang An, Phu Quoc, or Son Doong Cave are expected to be attractive choices. National Tourism Year 2025 and cooperation opportunities to bring Swiss tourists to Vietnam are also mentioned.

In addition to introducing destinations and policies, the event also created a space for business connection activities between Vietnamese and Swiss travel and hotel companies, opening up effective business cooperation opportunities. The unique cultural and culinary performances of Vietnam such as the performance of Hue royal court music by artists from the Hue Traditional Arts Theater, the promotion of royal culinary art by Hue culinary artisans with dishes such as Cong spring rolls, Phuong spring rolls, inviting guests to make spring rolls, taste fried spring rolls and introduce the art of making lotus leaf hats also enriched the experience for attendees in a space imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity with all the senses experienced.

Statistics show that in 2024, Vietnam will welcome more than 33,600 Swiss visitors, a sharp increase compared to 2023 and approaching pre-pandemic levels. In the first 4 months of 2025 alone, 16,400 Swiss visitors came to Vietnam, an increase of nearly 17% over the same period last year. These positive figures show the sustainable development potential of the Swiss market for Vietnamese tourism.

The program introducing Vietnamese tourism in Switzerland ended with expectations of further strong growth in tourist exchange between the two countries, contributing to deepening the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, while affirming Vietnam's position as a safe, friendly and attractive destination on the world tourism map.

Vietnam.vn