HCMC – The HCMC government has written to the prime minister and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism seeking permission to welcome back fully vaccinated international tourists starting December on a pilot basis.
According to the city’s proposal, international travelers to Vietnam must hold a Covid vaccine passport, which is not required for children under 12, and they will not be subject to mandatory quarantine.
Upon arrival in HCMC, international vaccine passport holders would also have to produce a negative test result taken within 72 hours before departure and proof of vaccination, with the second dose taken at least 14 days and not more than 12 months before departure, or proof of recovery from Covid within the past six months.
All tourists are required to have Covid-19 travel insurance policy with a minimum level of US$50,000 each and buy all-in tours from local travel companies.
The inbound travel reopening proposal came as almost 100% of the city’s residents aged 12 and older have got their first shots and 90% have received their second doses, according to the dispatch signed by HCMC Vice Chairwoman Phan Thi Thang.
HCMC is a travel hub which connects with other provinces and cities by air and road, making it convenient for visitors to travel to nearby tourist sites in southern Vietnam.
Under the proposal, the city would carry out the plan in three phases, with the first phase from December allowing tour operators to arrange all-in tours for foreign visitors.
In the second phase from January next year, international tourists could travel on to some other provinces and cities after their arrival in HCMC.
During the third phase from April 2022 onward, the city would fully reopen to international tourists.
Aside from the proposal to resume the inbound tourism segment, the municipal government also proposed reinstating the pre-pandemic visa waiver for visitors from certain countries.
