HCMC – No mandatory quarantine will be required for foreign tourists who have received two Covid-19 vaccine shots or recovered from the disease within the past 12 months when they come to Vietnam from next month.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has provided guidelines on a pilot scheme to welcome back international tourists after nearly two years the Government closed the borders, the local media reported.
Eligible international tourists can freely travel in the areas chosen to pilot the scheme as soon as they enter the country without having to spend seven days at a designated quarantine center as earlier required. However, they will be encouraged to monitor their health during their trip.
Their second vaccine dose must be administered at least 14 days and no more than 12 months before their arrival in the nation. In addition, they must show proof of a negative RT-PCR or RT-LAMP test result taken within 72 hours before departure.
Phu Quoc City in Kien Giang Province, Danang City and Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam and Quang Ninh provinces have been chosen to conduct the pilot scheme.
Tourists will participate in tourism programs in areas and service facilities allowed by the local authorities with a maximum period of 90 days. They must not separate from their delegations or leave the permitted areas and should refrain from close contact with visitors from other delegations.
As for tourists registering for programs lasting over seven days, they can travel to other parts of the country that have been allowed to welcome back tourists if they test negative for Covid-19 on the seventh day after their arrival.
In addition, the number of visitors to these above localities will not be limited.
These policies will also be applied to Vietnamese people living in Vietnam’s key tourism markets.
All tourists are required to have a Covid-19 travel insurance coverage with a minimum level of US$50,000 each and buy all-in tours of local travel companies.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recognized Covid-19 vaccination record cards, also known as vaccine passports, issued by 72 countries and territories and is discussing the issue with nearly 80 others. This is a favorable condition for Vietnam to resume the international tourism segment, fostering the development of tourism-related sectors.
The roadmap to attract international tourists back to Vietnam is in three phases, beginning from next month.
In the first phase, tourists will fly to Vietnam on charter and commercial flights, take part in all-in tours and be confined to designated areas in Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Danang and Quang Ninh.
In the second phase, which will begin from January next year, more tourists from more markets will be welcomed. They can visit more destinations after completing their tours in the first destination in the first seven days.
Vietnam will later fully reopen its doors to international visitors if the results of the two previous phases are as good as expected.
