Hanoi (VNA) - Foreign ൲visitors havewarmly welcomed Vietnam’s continued visa exemptions for guests from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, saying the policy is good forthe country to spur tourism.

From the beginning of July, citizens from the UK,France, Germany, Spain, and Italy will enjoy visa exemptions for the next three years, untilJune 30, 2021, as approved by the Prime Minister. “Visaexemption is good for the country to open to tourism,” said Anthony Dme, avisitor from France. Vietnam first offered visa waivers for citizensfrom the five European countries in July, 2015. The policy has been updatedannually and would have expired at the end of June. French guest Anastasia Belkacemi said thepolicy made people want to go because they did not have to pay. “We feel like part of Asia that we can comein easily like Indonesia, no need visa,” Matteo Lelli, an Italian, said.  Vietnam is among countries with the strictestvisa policy in Asia. The country currently offers visa waivers to visitors from24 countries and territories, including the ASEAN member countries. The country has tried toimprove the situation with an e-visa policy which is now available topeople from 46 countries. Minister, Chairman ofthe Government Office Mai Tien Dung has said the government would considerproposals from the Vietnam Tourism Association on the extension of the periodof stay from 15 to 30 days and expansion of visa exemptions for more countries. Some visitors felt pleased with the validtime of visa exemption while others wished they could have a longer stay.

“15 days may be too short,” Matteo Lelli said.

“When you want to go to a country you want to stay long and see every꧟thing. Sothe visa exemption is longer, it’s better,” Anastasia Belkacemi f🐬rom Francesaid.

Anthony Dme, a French tourist, said “I wouldsay of course free visa for every time and everywhere is good, but we’re stillglad for 15 days.” Michelle Armstrong from the US said it took her threedays to get e-visa to Vietnam and it was very easy. Western arrivals to Vietnam soared in recentyears, with 720,000 in 2015, 855,000 in2016, and 1,500,000 in 2017.

In the first five months of this year, foreignarrivals to Vietnam surpassed 6.7 million, up 27.6 percent annually, accordingto the General Statistics Office. 

The number of European visit💖ors rose by 11.8 percentyear-on-year, including those from France (13.1 percent), the UK (9.6 percent),Germany (8.5 percent), and Italy (18.3 percent).

According to the Traveland Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 compiled by the World Economic Forum,Vietnam rose eight places in just one year to rank 67th in the world. “The main drivers of thecountry’s T&T competitiveness are its natural resources (34th), culturalresources (30th) and price competitiveness (35th). Vietnam has made significantprogress on its human resources and labour market pillar (37th, up 18 places)scores, thanks to a better-qualified labour force (53rd) and partiallysimplified regulations on hiring foreign labour (75th)”, the report says. Easier visa application proceduresfor foreign tourists, as well as visa exemptions for visitors from the UK,France, Germany, Italy and Spain have helped attract more tourists from thesemarkets, experts said. - VNA