On October 24, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism identified five cities and provinces that will be allowed to accept foreign travelers starting this month. But ongoing restrictions, including a seven-day quarantine rule, could keep a lot of would-be tourists at home.
Dr. Bui Doan Ne, general secretary of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association, said, “No foreign tourist would sacrifice seven days of a holiday to be isolated in a hotel.”
According to local media, strict quarantine regulations imposed by localities were blamed for sluggish visitation, including near-empty aircraft that forced carriers to cancel some flights. After the quarantine requirement was eased, the number of domestic passengers increased sharply, Ne noted.
Economist Ngo Tri Long told VN Express, “A large number of fully vaccinated foreign tourists wish to return to Vietnam for their vacations. We need to consider this as a chance to boost economic recovery and create jobs for locals.”
Long proposed that international commercial flights resume in November and fully vaccinated foreigners with valid Covid-negative certificates be exempt from the current quarantine rule.
The current rule requires that visitors who are not fully vaccinated or are coming from high-risk areas be isolated at designated accommodations for a week. If the test results are negative, they can be allowed to travel within Vietnam. Vietnamese citizens returning home, meanwhile, can self-monitor their health at home and avoid being quarantined at hotels.
“If the quarantine period is too long, foreign tourists will not want to fly to Vietnam. Instead, they will opt to go to Thailand and Singapore that offer easier entry,” said a Vietnam Airlines representative.
The nation closed its doors to foreign tourists and canceled all international flights in March last year to contain Covid, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts and highly-skilled workers to enter. Vietnam recorded a 79 percent decline year-on-year in the number of foreign visitors in 2020 due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic. The nation welcomed just 3.83 million foreign visitors against a record 18 million in 2019, according to official data.
The five localities are Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh. All are popular tourist and beach destinations, reported Inside Asian Gaming.
Quang Nam is also home to the ancient town of Hoi An and Suncity’s new integrated resort Hoiana while Kien Giang incorporates the island of Phu Quoc, home to the only casino at which some locals are allowed to gamble, Corona Resort & Casino.
