Easing visa policies crucial to attracting Russian visitors

Representatives from travel firms emphasised that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is not the biggest problem when attempting to exploit the market.

Bui Quoc Dai, deputy director of Anex Vietnam Travel and Trading Company in the south central province of Khanh Hoa revealed that the Ukraine conflict will not exert a long-term impact on welcoming Russian tourists to the nation, adding that other factors like exchange rate fluctuations will mean the country won’t lack Russian tourists in the near future.

Furthermore, Russia is also a volatile market that had political tensions with other countries taking place in 2014 and 2016, Dai said. The travel operator has learnt lessons through the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and remains calm to overcome the upcoming challenges.

Despite unpredictable fluctuations, Anex Vietnam has unveiled plans aimed at expanding its market to receive 18,000 Russian visitors between now and the end of this summer.

Moving forward, Khanh Hoa is expected to continue to welcome flights carrying tourists from Russia on March 3,  and the locality will receive flights from six Russian cities in the near future.

Dai underscored the need to swiftly agree on a roadmap to reopen international tourism after March 15, adding that the firm aims to welcome Russian guests who can explore a number of destinations throughout Vietnam, such as Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Phan Thiet, and Da Lat, as opposed to just Khanh Hoa.

He noted that with an open policy in the future, Russian tourists are likely to increase dramatically in Khanh Hoa and Phu Quoc this year thanks to MICE tourism, adding that the firm plans to receive Uzbekistani visitors in May.