Advisory board suggests reopening borders to foreign tourists from July

Vietnam could reopen to foreign tourists from this July, a Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) representative suggested, noting that the COVID-19 outbreak has been basically brought under control and vaccination campaigns are underway in the country and many others around the world.

Foreig visitors to the Trang An tourism complex in Ninh Binh province before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) –Vietnam could reopen to foreign tourists from this July, a Tourism AdvisoryBoard (TAB) representative suggested, noting that the COVID-19 outbreak hasbeen basically brought under control and vaccination campaigns are underway inthe country and many others around the world.

Head of the TAB SecretariatHoang Nhan Chinh said China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and ASEANcountries are sources of tourists near Vietnam, and their people go travellingall year round.

The peak travelling season inJapan is March and August, so the pilot reopening could be conducted in July toattract visitors from this market.

Meanwhile, Vietnam couldstart welcoming back tourists from certain faraway markets like Australia,Russia, and Europe from around October, according to Chinh.

He held that if vaccinationis carried out well in Vietnam, especially for the frontline forces, it willprovide a good opportunity to attract holidaymakers. Besides, only wheninternational travellers have vaccination certificates should Vietnam open thedoor to them.

Chinh also stressed that thereopening of borders to foreign tourists needs thorough preparations right fromnow, and that Vietnam shouldn’t receive international travellers back if ithasn’t been fully geared up.

The country needs to prepareresponse plans for many different scenarios and build a safe reopening roadmap, he said, adding that the TAB has sent a letter submitting relatedproposals to the Prime Minister.

Before the COVID-19 pandemicbroke out, tourism had contributed more than 10 percent of Vietnam’s GDP andgenerated over 30 billion USD in annual revenue./.
VNA

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