HCMC – After Vietnam resumes international air services on January 1, 2022, international travelers to the country can see their itinerary restriction period shortened to three days instead of seven.
They will be able to visit other tourist sites if they test negative for Covid-19 after their first three days.
Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, told an online seminar on December 23 that after the country restarts international flights, the tourism industry will enter the second phase of the pilot program to welcome international tourists.
To make life easier for international visitors to Vietnam, the administration proposed easing some travel and quarantine regulations and adding some provinces and cities, including HCMC, to the pilot program.
The pilot program has run for over one month, with three of five participating provinces and cities, including Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa and Kien Giang, having received international travelers. Quang Ninh and Danang City are set to welcome back international visitors in January next year.
Speaking of the resumption of international flights, many air carriers said they were waiting for a license to re-launch flights, while customers, mainly overseas Vietnamese people, were awaiting further information on flights to plan their return trip.
Nguyen Quoc Ky, chairman of Vietravel Holdings, said that in the next two months, overseas Vietnamese people would return to Vietnam.
“If Vietnam resumes international air services from January 1 next year, the number of tourists to the country will be high, but tourists have failed to access detailed information on flights and to determine how to travel to Vietnam,” Ky said.
Phung Cong Dung, chairman of the Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs in HCMC, said many overseas Vietnamese people asked about the airfares and how to return to the country.
Vietjet Air expects the Government to give further directives so that overseas Vietnamese people can return to enjoy the Lunar New Year holiday, while firms can prepare well to serve customers, according to Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, deputy general director of the air carrier.
“Until date, the carrier has yet to be licensed to reopen international air routes, making it tough for the airline to serve passengers,” said Binh.
