VietNamNet Bridge – Many travel firms are awaiting the Embassy of Japan to announce the list of firms singled out to enjoy the loosened visa policy intended to lure more Vietnamese tourists.

Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink Company, said Japanese tours were not organized regularly in the past due to stringent visa requirements and high tour prices. However, things have changed, and his company now arranges one Japan tour a week and expects to take four groups of tourists to Japan weekly next month.

“Easier visa requirements will result in more tourists, and we then can book air tickets and hotel rooms earlier to enjoy good prices. If so, I think the tour price can be 20% lower than the current one, at almost VND30 million, and thus there will be more buyers,” Thanh said.

Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 17 announced to loosen visa requirements for citizens of Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, with multiple-entry visa requirements for Philippine and Vietnamese citizens relaxed significantly. Besides, single-entry visa requirements for tourists from these two countries are eased and almost equivalent to visa exemption if tourists apply for visa via an appointed travel agency.

Like Thanh, the directors of many other travel firms are also hopeful about tourist growth with Japan’s fresh visa policy.

Director Tran Xuan Hung of Viking Travel Company said his company targets not only tourists but also those wanting to get vocational training in Japan for a couple of months and businessmen wanting to study Japanese technology.

“This is a potential segment as Vietnamese people have demand while Japan, where there are many small and medium enterprises, is very willing to welcome,” he said.

A representative of Samurai Tour, which specializes in organizing tours to Japan, said that the number of tourists is growing well. Samurai Tour is mulling medical tours enabling tourists to get medical treatments and checkups in Japan.

Late last year, 24 travel firms clubbed together to operate Japan tours to boost sales. A similar club was set up in Danang City last month with the participation of travel firms in central Vietnam.

The number of Vietnamese tourists visiting Japan picked up 150% last year to 90,000 and is forecast to continue growing this year thanks to promotion activities of Japan’s tourism body in Vietnam and its special policies offered to Vietnamese tourists. Japan expects to attract 200,000 Vietnamese arrivals in 2015.

SGT/VNN