Vietnam pilots visa exemption for Chinese tour groups visiting Khanh Hoa

The Vietnamese government on Monday signed Resolution No. 325/NQ-CP on piloting visa exemptions for Chinese citizens holding valid ordinary passports, excluding holders of Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Region passports, who visit Vietnam in tour groups as part of the Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026-27.

In effect from October 12, 2026 to December 31, 2027, the policy limits travel to Khanh Hoa Province.

Tourists must fly directly from mainland China to Cam Ranh International Airport and enter and exit Vietnam through this airport.

The pilot program will cover groups of at least two people participating in package tours organized by Vietnamese international travel companies. Each visit must not exceed 30 days.

The pilot scheme is part of bilateral tourism cooperation, with specific provisions governing its geographical scope, entry conditions, and eligible travelers.

To implement the policy, the Vietnamese government has tasked the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism with drafting guidance on implementation procedures, selection criteria, and management principles for international travel companies participating in the program.

The ministry is also responsible for coordinating with local authorities to manage tourists and working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote awareness of the policy.

The Ministry of Public Security will lead efforts to provide guidance on entry, exit, and residence procedures for Chinese citizens eligible for visa exemptions under the program.

China remains Vietnam's largest source of international tourists

Vietnam welcomed 17.7 million international arrivals in January-September, up 14.5 percent year on year, according to the National Statistics Office.

The country has achieved nearly 71 percent of its target of welcoming 25 million international arrivals this year.

China remained Vietnam's largest source market for international tourists. In September alone, Vietnam received 411,526 Chinese visitors, up 13 percent from the same month last year.

The number of Chinese arrivals reached more than 3.953 million in the January-September period, up 1.5 percent year on year.

According to figures released by Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports, China was also Thailand's largest source market, with more than 3.935 million Chinese arrivals in January-September.

Vietnam thus welcomed around 18,000 more Chinese visitors than Thailand during the same period.

The Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026-27 was launched in April 2026 during a visit to China by Vietnamese Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, who held talks with Chinese Party General Secretary and President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

At the talks, the two leaders announced the launch of the program and agreed to strengthen tourism cooperation, promotion and marketing, upgrade tourism infrastructure and services, and reinforce the two countries' positions as each other's largest tourism markets.

The top Vietnamese leader proposed that the two sides study visa exemptions for tour groups visiting selected destinations on a reciprocal basis.