Vietnam to trial controlled return of tourists to Phu Quoc

The government has approved plans to allow fully immunized tourists from Europe, the U.S., Northeast Asia, Australia, and the Middle East to visit Phu Quoc from October.

Under a six-month trial program, 2,000-3,000 tourists will come every month by charter flight in the first three months, and stay in sequestered resorts and limited areas.

Then the monthly number will increase to 5,000-10,000 with tourists also arriving by commercial flights, and they will be permitted to visit more destinations on the island.

Visitors need to furnish documents showing they had received two shots of a Covid-19 vaccine approved by Vietnam, the second between 14 days and 12 months before the date of entry, or that they had Covid and recovered in the previous 12 months.

They also need to present a negative PCR result with the test done within 72 hours before departure.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant agencies will identify the businesses that will participate in the trial program.

They need to ensure safety against Covid-19 for tourists and employees and provide quality services. Inbound travel agencies selected must have been in business for more than three years and received at least 30,000 tourists a year.

Hotels are required to have a separate area for the international tourists besides isolated testing and quarantine areas.

If the program gets underway in October, Phu Quoc will become the first locality in Vietnam to welcome foreign tourists since April 2020.

The government has instructed the Ministry of Health to prioritize allocation of vaccines to Phu Quoc so that at least 90 percent of its population is fully vaccinated in preparation for the reopening.

By Lan Huong – VnExpress.net – September 11, 2021