In the wonderful world of Vietnamese tourist visas, the rules seem to change everyday. Whether it's permitting certain passport holders to enter the country visa-free or discussing whether to waive visa fees for other nationalities, something is always up for debate.
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Yesterday, however, some happy news arrived from Vietnamese officials. After much debate, the Ministry of Finance announced it will slash tourist visa fees in a bid to boost arrivals through the end of this year, reports Tuoi Tre.
Starting November 23, single-entry visas will cost US$25 instead of the current US$45, while multiple-entry visas with a validity of three months or less will drop from US$95 to US$50. Long-term visa costs will still range from US$95 to US$155 and vary from three months to five years.
According to the Ministry of Finance's website, the decision is part of a push to reverse the slump in arrivals that has plagued Vietnam's tourism industry this year and marks a concerted effort by tourism officials to put Vietnamese visa fees on par with those of other countries in the region.
For everyone involved – tourists, tour providers and even tourism officials themselves – this is a welcome development, as the recent slew of visa exemptions hasn't exactly been successful. In the first nine months of 2015, international tourist arrivals reached a mere 5.7 million, down 5.9% from last year's arrivals. Here's hoping that the new, reduced visa fees will help get Vietnam's tourism numbers moving back in the right direction.
[Photo via Flickr user Jev55]
