The government of Vietnam has confirmed that it is once again extending its visa exemption programme for UK passport holders for single-entry stays of up to 15 days, until June 2018.

The policy, which was first introduced in July 2015, also applies to French, German, Spanish and Italian nationals.

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, over five million people visited the country in the first five months of 2017, representing a 26.8 per cent increase on last year’s figures.

The World Travel & Tourism Council has also forecast that Vietnam’s annual tourism revenues will rise by another six per cent from 2017-2027, to VND398,329 billion (US$17.9 billion).

Vietnam Airlines offers the UK’s only nonstop flights to Vietnam, with daily flights to either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.