During the meeting between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on October 9, within the framework of the 44th-45th ASEAN Summit in Laos, the two sides agreed to promote cooperation in potential areas, including coordinating the pilot implementation of the "6 countries, one destination" tourism cooperation initiative.
The "6 countries, one destination" common visa initiative was initiated by Thailand in April, aiming to cooperate with five other Southeast Asian countries: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar to promote regional tourism development.
The program "6 countries, 1 destination" will create a very strong leverage to develop tourism in the ASEAN region. Photo: Hoang Quyen
If the initiative is accepted, international tourists, who usually spend 7-14 days in Vietnam, could extend their trips to 3-4 weeks. With superior airport infrastructure compared to Laos and Cambodia, travel companies can design tours departing from Vietnam, continuing to these two countries and returning to Vietnam to fly home. Mr. Vu added that multinational tours require close cooperation between travel companies in each country. At the same time, tourism services need to be standardized to ensure a seamless experience for tourists.
Issuing a common visa will reduce administrative procedures and create convenience for international tourists when coming to Vietnam. In particular, for tourists from major markets such as Europe and America, not having to apply for separate visas for each country will increase the attractiveness of Vietnam as a tourist destination in the Southeast Asian region.
When visa procedures are simplified, tourists will have more opportunities to stay in Vietnam longer, exploring the country from North to South. Vietnam has the potential to develop long-term tourism products such as cultural, ecological, resort tourism, and cross-country tours, helping tourists have deep and complete experiences.
In addition to attracting tourists, the common visa policy also promotes sustainable tourism initiatives in the region. Vietnam can take advantage of this opportunity to develop environmentally friendly tourism products, associated with the protection of cultural and natural heritage.
Tourists visit Hoi An Ancient Town
Although the opportunity is huge, experts also believe that opening a visa system between 6 countries will increase the level of competition among countries in the region. Mr. Cao Tri Dung, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, said that ASEAN countries sharing a visa will increase the total tourism market share of the region, but it also means that competition between countries will become more fierce. If Vietnam wants to attract tourists from Thailand, this country will also find ways to attract tourists from Vietnam. In this "race", countries with tourism products that are not attractive enough will find it difficult to retain tourists. Therefore, in addition to promoting negotiations, the Vietnamese tourism industry needs to review destinations and prepare quality, attractive tourism products to attract tourists to stay longer and spend more.
The "6 countries, one destination" initiative is considered a similar version of the Schengen visa for the Southeast Asian region. According to Travel and Tour World (TTW) magazine, the Schengen visa has contributed to boosting the economy by increasing the number of tourists and generating revenue for local businesses. The Schengen visa allows tourists to travel easily through 29 European countries, making the region an attractive destination for global tourists. In addition, more than 40 other countries also exempt visas for Schengen visa holders, encouraging tourists to expand their exploration beyond Europe.
TTW calls the common visa of 6 Southeast Asian countries "the new Schengen", which is expected to bring great benefits and promote the tourism industry in the region. Editor-in-Chief Anup Kumar Keshan emphasized that stakeholders "need to reach a consensus on the importance and urgency of this type of visa".
Although it is expected to create a positive impact like the Schengen visa, many industry experts still express concerns about the feasibility of the initiative and point out some difficulties that may be encountered.
If you need further information or assistance, do not hesitate to contact Vietnam Visa Services Center today!
