Question: What is the type of Tourism license a JV (Vietnamese company with foreign capital) can apply to: Domestic, Inbound, Outbound, all of these? Or is there any restrictions? I read somewhere that a JV can only organize domestic trips in Vietnam for foreigners who are inbound customers, but cannot organize domestic trips in Vietnam for foreigners who are already in in Vietnam (Domestic). Is it true? So in a way it would mean that a JV company can only apply to an Inbound Tourism license, not Domestic?
Answen: Regarding Travel agencies and tour operator services (CPC 7471), the Vietnam’s WTO Commitments stipulated that: “foreign service suppliers are permitted to provide services in the form of joint ventures with Vietnamese partners with no limitation on foreign capital contribution“.
And, “tourist guides in foreign-invested enterprises shall be Vietnamese citizens. Foreign service supplying enterprises can only do inbound services and domestic travel for inbound tourists as an integral part of inbound services.”
Therefore, the JV can (i) apply for Inbound License only; and (ii) cannot organize trips for Vietnamese citizens or foreigners who are permanently residing in Vietnam to travel within Vietnam’s territory.
