Businesses urge PM to fully reopen international borders in May

By Hoang Phong   January 20, 2022 | 08:18 pm PT
Businesses urge PM to fully reopen international borders in May
South Korean tourists experience some adventurous games at VinWonders Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province, November 2021. Photo courtesy of Vinpearl
A number of industry trade groups have called on the government to consider fully reopening the borders to foreign tourists from May 1 to revive the tourism sector.

In a proposal sent to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday, the Tourism Advisory Board, the Private Economic Development Research Board and Vietnam Business Forum said the government should remove all travel restrictions.

They pointed out that Vietnam has among of the world’s Covid-19 vaccination rates and also experience in treating patients and handling new cases.

The three months until May would enable travel firms, hospitality businesses and carriers to make reopening plans and localities to complete the booster shot campaign.

The number of foreign tourists to Vietnam last year plunged by 96 percent, and this had a severe impact on the hospitality and tourism industries.

The PM this week ordered the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to create a safe and effective tourism reopening roadmap to help revive the industry.

In November the government started allowing in foreign tourists under the vaccine passport program and nearly 8,000 have arrived so far. But they are only allowed to come on package tours with limited itineraries.

Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, and Binh Dinh provinces and HCMC and Da Nang City are the only localities they are allowed to visit.

 
 
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