Hanoi (VNA) – As COVID-19 vaccine coverage is expanding globally with many countries reaching herd immunity, people are eager to start planning trips abroad again.
After travel was put on hold in most countries in the first quarter of 2021 due to the resurgence of COVID-19, it is gradually resumed in countries with high vaccination rates, and many destinations began to remove quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated travellers.
The Travel Recovery Trend Report for the second quarter of 2021 by Expedia, a US online travel shopping company, indicates that though travellers continue to show preference for domestic travel, the global growth in searches for international destinations outpaced that for domestic destinations during multiple weeks in Q2.
“With the pandemic prompting many travelers to take a trip close to home, and often at short notice, it’s no surprise that search windows were typically short,” says the report. “In fact, half of all searches globally were for 0 to 21 days in advance of travel. However, searches with a longer window of 21 to 90 days grew to account for 35 percent of the global total in Q2 – an increase of nearly 25 percent compared to Q1.”
This indicates that travelers are starting to feel more confident in their ability to travel in the future, with vaccine rollouts continuing and travel restrictions loosening.
Another survey of 8,000 people in eight countries by Expedia found that 72 percent of travellers plan to take a trip within the next 12 months.
Travellers show preference for quiet destinations away from crowds post-COVID-19. (Photo: VietnamPlus) The global vaccination rollout and increased adoption of digital solutions for safe travel should lead to a rise in international mobility over the weeks and months ahead, the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows.
Only one in three (34 percent) of all destinations are partially closed to visitors, and 36 percent request a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival, in some cases in combination with a requirement to quarantine, according to the UNWTO.
Its data also indicates a link between vaccination speed and easing of restrictions. Destinations that have high rates of vaccination are gradually relaxing restrictions. As of June 1, just 13 percent of destinations in Europe remained closed to tourists and the figure was 19 percent in Africa, 20 percent in the Americas and 31 percent in the Middle East.
Localities that have high rates of vaccination are gradually relaxing tourism restrictions, according to the UNWTO. (Photo: VietnamPlus) In Vietnam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating with the Ministries of Health, and Information and Communications to develop mechanisms to recognize and allow the use of foreign “vaccination certificates” and “vaccine passports”.
It marks one step closer for Vietnam to “reopen the sky.”
According to new regulations issued by the Ministry of Health earlier this month, fully vaccinated arrivals to Vietnam with negative COVID-19 tests will only have to undergo seven days of quarantine and another seven days for medical observation.
Specifically, the reduced quarantine period – compared to previous 14 days of quarantine and seven days of follow-up medical observation – is applicable to those having certified (by relevant authorities of the home country) proof of negative RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 72 hours prior to departure, having been fully vaccinated with the last dose at least 14 days but no more than 12 months before the date of entry; or in place of vaccination records, those having proof showing they have recovered from COVID-19 or hospital discharge or equivalent documents issued by competent authorities in the country where they have been treated.
To facilitate the implementation of the new regulations, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs have worked together to release temporary guidelines on verifying and recognizing foreign COVID-19 vaccination and recovery certificates which are officially introduced to Vietnam via diplomatic channels of 44 countries and territories.
The list of countries and territories that have introduced vaccine certificates or proof of COVID-19 recovery will be constantly updated on the consular information portal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at lanhsuvietnam.gov.vn.
COVID-19 vaccination is deemed the best solution to quickly recover travel activities. (Photo: VietnamPlus) People who arrive from countries and territories that have not officially introduced vaccination certificates or proof of COVID-19 recovery to the Vietnamese foreign ministry can contact the Vietnamese representative missions in their country to either legalise or approve the contents of the aforementioned documents.
Vietnam’s recognition of foreign vaccination certificates is expected to make the country a popular choice of foreign visitors and to help the tourism sector rebound as quickly as possible once the pandemic is kept at bay./.
