Visa exemptions for five more countries in Europe should result in a rise of visitors by 50 percent over the next three years, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said.
Tourists at Ta Cu, Binh Thuan Province
Visa exemptions will be granted to visitors from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Belarus.
VNAT director Nguyen Van Tuan said Vietnam receives about 700,000 tourists a year from Europe and about 150,000 Vientameses travel to Western Europe countries each year.
Tuan said the aim was to achieve 10 percent growth in the first half of 2016 and 20 percent in the second half. By 2018, arrivals are forecast to reach 1.1m, an increase of 50 percent on 2015.
The VNAT is looking at visa exemptions for Australia, New Zealand, Canada and India.
Vu The Binh, deputy head of the Vietnam Vietnam Tourism Association, said the government will have to upgrade the tourism sector and lower prices by at least 30 percent.
