Want to be in the loop?
subscribe to
our notification
Business News
JAPAN RELAXES VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR VIETNAM CRUISE TOURISTS
To benefit from the lax visa requirements, they must be passengers of the cruise ships permitted to participate in the program of the Japanese Ministry of Justice, stay in Japan for no more than 30 days for leisure travel. If ships dock at only one port in Japan, passengers are not allowed to stay for more than seven days and will have to leave Japan at the same port.
Those wanting to visit Japan by ship should contact the Japanese embassy to check which ships are eligible for the program.
The number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan is on the rise, according to the Japan Tourism Agency. Some 80,100 Vietnamese visited the country in the January-August period last year, soaring 50% year-on-year and almost equivalent to the total figure in 2013.
However, the number of Vietnamese nationals traveling to Japan by ship is still small.
Recently, Malaysian cruise line StarCruises has introduced a program for passengers to travel with its SuperStar Aquarius to Japan without having to get a visa before departure.
Cruise ship brings over 3,500 tourists to Vietnam
Cruise ship Voyager of the Seas with over 3,500 passengers and crew members on board arrived at Tan Cang-Cai Mep Terminal in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (BR-VT) yesterday.
Guests of the cruise ship had one day to explore tourist sites in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, HCMC and the Mekong Delta city of My Tho before leaving for another port in Vietnam.
The ship will call at Nha Trang Port in central Vietnam this Friday.
According to Saigontourist Travel Service Company, Voyager of the Seas is mainly operated by the cruise line Royal Caribbean International for voyages in Asia and Oceania. The ship can accommodate 3,138 passengers and 1,181 crew members.
Besides Voyager of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International has sent its cruise ships Marina of the Seas, Celebrity Century and Celebrity Millennium to Vietnam. Cruise ships of Royal Caribbean International will visit seaports in Vietnam 13 times in first four months of this year.
Saigontourist served over 50,000 tourists and crew members from more than 30 cruise ships in the first quarter of this year.
Source: The Saigon Times
Related News
MEMBER CORNER / PROMOTIONS
SENTRYSAFE CHW20201 - EFFECTIVE WATER RESISTANCE, MAXIMUM PROTECTION
In unexpected flooding situations, the most important thing is to keep your valuables dry and intact. SentrySafe CHW20201 is specially designed with superior water-resistant capabilities, helping protect documents, cash, and important belongings even when fully submerged. Proven in real testing: After water submersion, the documents inside remain dry - undamaged.
MEMBER CORNER / PROMOTIONS
AN ELECTRIFYING NIGHT WITH THE "QUEEN OF DANCE" THU MINH AT THE GRAND HO TRAM!
The stage at The Grand Ballroom is set to catch fire as Vietnam’s undisputed "Queen of Dance," Thu Minh, takes the spotlight. Renowned for her powerhouse vocals, magnetic stage presence, and sultry, high-energy performances, Thu Minh promises an evening of pure musical euphoria. The energy escalates with an exclusive appearance by special guest and The Voice champion, Vu Thao My.
HR / LABOUR/ EMPLOYMENT
HIGH-QUALITY HUMAN RESOURCES NEEDED TO ATTRACT NEW TECH INVESTMENT CAPITAL
Besides infrastructure, Việt Nam must also rapidly develop a highly skilled workforce to attract investment in AI, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, experts have said. Don Lam, CEO and co-founder of investment management company VinaCapital, said that global technology investors were increasingly looking at the readiness of the entire ecosystem, with high-quality human resources a decisive factor.
HR / LABOUR/ EMPLOYMENT
HIRING OUTLOOK STRENGTHENS IN Q4 AS SKILLS SHORTAGES PERSIST
Hiring intentions among employers in Việt Nam strengthened in the fourth quarter, with 52 per cent of surveyed companies planning to increase headcount between October and December, according to a ManpowerGroup survey released this week. Việt Nam's hiring outlook was stronger than the Asia Pacific and Middle East (APME) regional average of 33 per cent and the global average of 29 per cent, ranking third in the region and 11th globally among 42 markets surveyed.
BANKING / FINANCE / INSURANCE / TAX
LARGE BANKS FORECAST TO GAIN HIGHER PROFITABILITY IN H2 2026
The return on average assets (ROAA) of the banking sector will likely remain stable at around 1.5 per cent in the second half of 2026, but profitability divergence among banks will increase, with large banks outperforming peers on stronger margins and diversified earnings, analysts forecast. In a recent report on the banking sector, analysts from the Vietnam Investors Service Rating said the sector’s ROAA rose by 10 basis points quarter-on-quarter to 1.51 per cent in the first half of this year, driven by net interest margin (NIM) improvements at some State-owned banks and large private banks.
GARMENT / TEXTILE
VIỆT NAM'S FOOTWEAR, BAG EXPORTS TO US TOP $8 BILLION IN EIGHT MONTHS
Việt Nam's exports of footwear and handbags to the US exceeded US$8 billion in the first eight months of 2026, as the US and EU remained the country's biggest markets despite sluggish growth in footwear shipments. Exports from Việt Nam's leather and footwear sector reached more than $2.45 billion in August, down 9 per cent from July but up 3 per cent from a year earlier, according to preliminary statistics.
Events Sponsors
