Tourists from Italy’s cruise ship COSTA SERENA arrive in Phú Quốc City, Kiên Giang Province, on May 21, 2023. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam should take more actions, including the facilitation of immigration procedures, in an effort to make itself a top destination for international tourists, the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) has suggested.

The board said it supports amending e-visa granting for citizens of all countries and territories, and prolonging the duration of e-visas granted to foreigners entering Việt Nam from 30 days to a maximum of three months with single and multiple entries applicable.

The support was voiced as the Government plans to raise a proposal on the draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Exit and Entry of Vietnamese Citizens and the Law on Entry, Exit, Transit and Residence of Foreigners in Việt Nam to the ongoing 15th National Assembly on Friday.

The board also proposed extending the duration of temporary residence permits at border gates for unilateral visa-exempt entry visitors from 15 days to 45 days with multiple entries, along with a 30-day unilateral visa waiver for those who visit Việt Nam for golf and other sport tournaments and special events like forums and travel fairs, or via charter flights.

To attract foreign homebuyers, TAB suggested a new type of visa for the group with a duration of up to five years. Meanwhile, to encourage foreigners to work remotely in Việt Nam, authorities should offer them with a two-year visa, it said.

Besides, immigration management agencies need to step up technological solutions to facilitate security control at international airports, thus easing congestions there, the board added.

Hoàng Nhân Chính, head of the TAB’s Secretariat, noted that Việt Nam welcomed 18 million international holidaymakers in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, and the figure stood at only 3.7 million last year, failing to meet the target of 5 million.

The country expects to serve 8 million foreign tourists this year, he said. This goal was set in the beginning of the year before China officially announced its reopening. Chinese tourists made up a third of the international visitors to Việt Nam in pre-pandemic times. — VNS