~ Le Vięt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

[Year 1997]
[Year 1998]
[Year 1999]
[Year 2000]
[Year 2001]

Visa waiver for japanese, french tourists to Vietnam in doubt

HANOI - A proposal to the government by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to waive entry-visa requirements for Japanese and French tourists looks set to be shelved despite aggressive lobbying by the tourism authority. The VNAT in August made the proposal for tourists from the two countries who stay in the country for 30 days or less, pointing to the recent sharp increase in their arrivals and the fact that they are among the top spenders in Vietnam.

Last year, Vietnam was visited by around 150,000 Japanese and 84,000 French tourists, becoming the third and fourth largest groups after some 450,000 Chinese and 153,000 Americans. In the first eight months of this year, about 130,000 Japanese tourists came to Vietnam, an increase of 42% over the same period last year. The increase is attributed to aggressive promotion campaigns by the VNAT and flag carrier Vietnam Airlines with huge support from Japanese tourist magazines. Yasuyuki Teshima, general manager of Japan Airlines' Hanoi office, told Kyodo News he expected the number of Japanese tourists to Vietnam to increase by 10-20% if the visa requirement is waived.

However, the VNAT's proposal has encountered stiff opposition from the Public Security Ministry. ''As the government has not signed any agreements with Japan and France on visa exemption, it is difficult to unilaterally grant visa-free status to Japanese and French tourists,'' the leading business weekly Vietnam Investment Review quoted officials from the ministry's Immigration Department as saying. The Vietnamese government is now seeking a compromise between the two authorities by simplifying customs and entry-exit procedures for foreign tourists.

Entry-visa exemption has already been applied to Thai and Filipino tourists who visit for 30 days or less. The move has helped double the number of tourists from Thailand and treble those from the Philippines. The Vietnam also signed a protocol with the Malaysia earlier this month on visa exemption for passport holders of the two countries, thus paving the way for more tourists from Malaysia. Tourism makes up about 10% of Vietnam's state budget, statistics show.

Kyodo News - October 6, 2001.


Hanoi and KL in visa agreement

HANOI: Vietnam and Malaysia have agreed to give their citizens visa exemptions when travelling to each other’s countries. The diplomatic notes on the visa exemptions were exchanged last month and will take effect on Nov 25. “Citizens will be entitled to visa exemptions when they remain in each other’s countries for up to 30 days’’ said an official from the Foreign Ministry’s Consular Affairs Department. She said Vietnam, a member of Asean, would sign exemption agreements with the remaining six countries in the future.

The Associated Press - October 5, 2001.