Safe pandemic control necessary to welcome back international tourists

During the course of a virtual press briefing held by the Foreign Ministry on November 4, Hang stated, “Recently, the Vietnamese Government has agreed upon a pilot roadmap to welcome international tourists back to Vietnam. Accordingly, the roadmap to reopen international tourism is divided into three phases: Phase 1 from November 2021; phase 2 from January 2022 and phase 3 from the second quarter of 2022.”

Phase 1 is set to be a pilot scheme which will welcome international guests under package tourism programmes, through charter flights and commercial flights in Phu Quoc city in Kien Giang province, Cam Ranh in Khanh Hoa province, Quang Nam, and Da Nang.

As a means of ensuring pandemic prevention and control, international visitors who wish to visit a locality that is piloting welcoming international visitors must have full epidemiological documents at the request of competent Vietnamese agencies, a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, or a certificate of recovery from COVID-19.

Furthermore, according to Hang, tourists must also ensure that they fully comply with pandemic prevention and control regulations in accordance with the guidance of relevant agencies and localities.

As part of the spirit of ensuring absolute safety for the health of local citizens, localities that are piloting receiving international visitors have been urgently injected two doses of COVID-19 vaccines in order to create antibodies for all people, including all employees working locally.

This is being done by organising a number of large-scale resorts, tourist spots, and resorts into separate resorts specifically for international tourists, Hang added.

Also at the press briefing, regarding direct flights to boost comprehensive Vietnam – US cooperation, the spokesperson highlighted the significance of the direct flights from Vietnam to the US as it will contribute to stepping up  the all-around cooperation between the two nations, especially in economy, trade, tourism, education, and people-to-people exchange.

Regarding reports that the Vietnam Airlines is to conduct the first regular commercial flight to the US, slated for late November, after 20 years of preparation, she said this preparation has been made during a long time and with close cooperation between Vietnamese and US authorities.

Recently, the Vietnam Airlines has received approval from US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for its aviation transport safety plan, paving the way for the airline to be licensed to carry out regular flights between the two countries, Hang said.

According to her, Vietnamese competent agencies are coordinating to complete final procedures for the carrier to carry out its flight plan. They will continue support other airlines that desire and are capable of operating direct flights to the US.