In a potential move to boost tourism, Vietnam is considering granting visa-free entry for Indian travelers, according to statements from Nguyn Van Jung, Vietnam’s Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, as reported by Vietnamese news agency VnExpress. Minister Jung emphasized the need for short-term visa waivers in key markets, including China and India, to aid the recovery of Vietnam’s tourism sector.
As of now, citizens from Germany, France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Denmark, and Finland enjoy visa-free travel to Vietnam. In the first ten months of 2023, Vietnam witnessed a substantial surge in international visitors, reaching 10 million—a remarkable 4.6-fold increase from the previous year’s figures. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam welcomed approximately 170,000 Indian visitors.
Popular destinations such as Phu Quoc Island, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Ha Long Bay, and Hoi An have become favorites among Indian tourists. Vietnam initiated the issuance of e-visas for individuals from all countries starting August this year, featuring a 90-day validity period and allowing multiple entries.
Should this proposal come to fruition, Vietnam would join the ranks of Sri Lanka and Thailand as the third country permitting visa-free entry for Indians. Thailand recently announced a six-month visa-free entry for tourists from India and Taiwan, effective from November 10, 2023, to May 10, 2024.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavision explained, “We will provide visa-free entry to India and Taiwan because a lot of their people like to travel to Thailand,” as reported by news agency AFP. Preceding Thailand, Sri Lanka approved a plan to grant free visas to travelers from seven countries, including India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, and Indonesia. This initiative, extending until March 31, 2024, aims to attract more tourists to the island nation, with the Sri Lankan tourist ministry expressing expectations of reaching five million tourist arrivals in the coming years, as quoted by local media outlets.
