TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The number of visitors from Vietnam declined in September after Taiwan changed visa rules, reports said Tuesday (Dec. 5).

Vietnamese travelers holding visas for Japan or South Korea were allowed to register online to apply for entry to Taiwan, but the method, labeled as a “conditional visa waiver,” was phased out on Sept. 14, per CNA. The number of Vietnamese visiting Taiwan declined from more than 37,000 in July and August each, to 30,000 in September and 32,000 in October.

The new method includes a visa application procedure which takes eight days. According to travel operators, the longer period has dissuaded some travelers from making plans to visit Taiwan.

Travel agencies also blamed the poor performance of the Vietnamese economy for the falling number of tourists. The Southeast Asian country had been expecting an economic growth rate of 6.5% for 2023, but during the first three quarters of the year, growth only reached an average of 4.24%. As a result, Vietnamese consumers were less eager to spend and postponed travel plans.