Vietnam must be ready to receive international tourists from all nations between the end of March and the end of April, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Thursday.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has laid out a plan for Vietnam to fully reopen its air and land borders to foreign tourists starting Mar. 31.
According to the initiative, all fully vaccinated visitors -with booster shots- should be allowed to visit eligible “green zones” from now until Mar. 30.
This date was picked as the country looks to end the administration of booster shots to all adults around that time.
Given that multiple Asian countries also seek to reopen soon, any later date would undermine Vietnam’s appeal as a tourist destination.
The program will include the “five localities of Phú Quốc Island (Kiên Giang Province in the southern region), Quảng Nam, Đà Nẵng, and Khánh Hoà in the central region and Quảng Ninh in the northern region,” and Ho Chi Minh City City and Bình Định which will be included shortly.
If approved, Vietnam should be fully open to foreign tourism by Mar. 31, with inbound travelers welcomed at all entry ports.
Travelers must either present proof of being fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19. A negative PCR test taken within the last 72 hours will be also needed.
Visitors also need to present proof of medical insurance that covers COVID-19 related expenses for a minimum of $50,000.
Unvaccinated travelers will have their own entry restrictions, which are yet to be announced, said the minister.
February and March should be enough for relevant authorities to amend regulations as well as for tourism businesses to launch marketing campaigns to draw tourists.
Vietnam is set to host the 2021 Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 31) in May, and an early reopening announcement is expected to help attract tourists, particularly from ASEAN countries.