Experts want free entry for foreign tourists from April 30

By Lan Huong January 18, 2022 | 10:33 pm PT

South Korean tourists walk inside Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Long Beach in Phu Quoc Island, November 22, 2021. Photo courtesy of Vinpearl

Experts have called for fully reopening the country to foreign tourists from April 30 since Vietnam has one of the world's highest Covid-19 vaccination rates.

Tran Trong Kien, chairman of the National Tourism Advisory Board, and Truong Gia Binh, head of the Private Economic Development Research Board, said at a meeting Tuesday this would be a "great opportunity" to help the tourism industry bounce back from a two-year slump.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung backed the proposal, saying Vietnam has successfully welcomed back foreign tourists in the last two months under the vaccine passport program and is among the top six countries in terms of vaccination.

His ministry would recommend that the government should fully reopen the country's borders on April 30, he said.

In November the government started allowing foreign tourists in and under the vaccine passport program and nearly 8,000 have arrived so far.

Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, and Binh Dinh provinces and HCMC and Da Nang City have been allowed to receive them.