(VOVWORLD) -Vietnam welcomed 15.4 million international visitors in the first nine months of this year, up 21.5%, driven by favorable visa policies, intensified tourism promotion programs, and a series of events marking major national holidays, according to the National Statistics Office.
 Foreign visitors in the UNESCO-recognized ancient town of Hoi An. |
European visitors surged to 1.9 million, up 35% year on year. Growth was seen across most key markets, including Russia (up 245%), Poland (55%), the Netherlands (35%), France (32%), the UK (29%), and Germany (24%).
The sharpest rises came from countries granted visa exemptions since August 15 – Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland – whose citizens can now stay in Vietnam for up to 45 days without a visa.
In addition, arrivals from other visa-exempt Western European markets have also maintained a steady upward trajectory.