More tourist destinations prepare to welcome domestic travelers, recover industry

FLC Sam Son Beach & Golf Resort and Pu Luong Tourist Area in the north central province of Thanh Hoa will be allowed to receive domestic tourists from October while other tourist destinations do so from next month.

Thanh Hoa has set a target of welcoming 700,000 visitors in the last three months of the year.

Tourists coming to Thanh Hoa must be fully vaccinated, with the second dose administered at least 14 days before arrival or furnish a certificate showing they had contracted and recovered from Covid.

Visitors aged under 18 must furnish a negative Covid test certificate before arrival.

All tourist facilities must ensure that 100 percent of staff have been fully immunized while employees who have to make frequent contact with tourists must be tested every five to seven days.

Aviation authorities have planned to operate one daily flight from Thanh Hoa to beach tourist hotspots like Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, and four return flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s business hub, starting Sunday.

Authorities in the northern province of Quang Ninh, home to UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay, plan to welcome back inter-provincial tourists to Tuan Chau International Tourist Area and Yen Tu tourist site from next month.

Quang Ninh, which reopened intra-provincial tourism from late September, eyes receiving two million visitors in the fourth quarter to boost its travel sector.

Authorities in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, home to resort town Da Lat, also mulled allowing domestic tourists to Da Lat and Bao Loc from next month.

In addition to vaccination requirements, visitors are required to book a package tour with a designated travel agency and have medical and travel insurance.

Authorities in the central province of Binh Dinh, home to beach town Quy Nhon, also plans to allow fully vaccinated domestic tourists to Phuong Mai Peninsula, famous for idyllic beaches and high-end resorts, from early November.

With the pandemic situation under control, some tourism hotspots in Vietnam have eased social distancing restrictions and resumed tourism activities since early October.