(VOVWORLD) - The tourism sector is proposing that the government reopen Vietnam to the international tourism market, starting with Phu Quoc island in November and expanding to other localities like Quang Ninh, Da Nang, and Quang Nam in December. The sector also wants a full reopening to international tourists in the second quarter of next year, as long as disease prevention measures are in place to ensure safe tourism.
 COVID-19 frontline medical workers join a closed tour of Can Gio |
To restore domestic tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is urging full vaccination of 70% of people 18 and older and anyone who works in the tourism sector. According to the Ministry, it’s important to have a single COVID-19 vaccination certificate or green card or vaccine passport and single set of criteria for safe tourism.
Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said the Ministry is finalizing guidelines for reopening domestic tourism activities.
'The Ministry has discussed with 24 key tourism localities ways to restore tourism activities. In the meantime, we will prioritize intra-province tours and then expand to welcoming visitors from outside the province, and then international visitors. The Ministry will set criteria for safe adaptation of tourism activities to the COVID-19 pandemic,' said Khanh.
Hoping to restore its tourism activities next month, Binh Dinh province is piloting tours to Phuong Mai peninsula, a green zone in Quy Nhon city. The province’s Department of Tourism has asked the Prime Minister to approve its plan for receiving international visitors from Northeast Asia, Russia, the US, and Europe to Phuong Mai peninsula. Tourists can take a bus tour of Quy Nhon city, and a travel company will arrange their accommodation.
Tran Van Thanh, Director of Binh Dinh’s Department of Tourism, said: 'We have inspected, guided, and reminded accommodation suppliers in the province to strictly follow all COVID-19 prevention regulations when they receive guests. We have also worked out plans to quarantine infected individuals and anyone who has had contact with them.'
To stimulate tourism in the post-pandemic period, HCM City is working with other localities to resume inter-provincial package tours. Following its success in organizing tours of Cu Chi and Can Gio district, HCM City has signed cooperative agreements with Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Tay Ninh province.
Other localities, including Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh province, are also working on plans to restore their tourism activities.