Foreigners want more travel freedom as Vietnam eyes tourism revival
Foreign readers of VnExpress International are clear that they not only prefer greater travel freedom in Vietnam, but also warn mandatory quarantine will keep tourists away.
Welcoming the news that Vietnam was considering reopening tourism for international travelers, first by welcoming fully vaccinated tourists to sequestered resorts, it might not be a popular option among tourists, they said.
Garry Adams: I spent more than 20 years working as a tour guide in Vietnam… people want to see the wonders of Vietnam and experience its culture.. Some package holidays only last for two weeks… No one will come from overseas if they are fully vaccinated and have to spend 7 days in isolation. It is just not economically viable for them and they will go elsewhere or simply stay in their home countries.
Tim: If the traveler has been vaccinated and the city where he/she is going to is mostly vaccinated then it’s time to just let normal travel happen without all the restrictions. No one is going to sign up for a package where they can’t travel freely and also risk getting sent to a quarantine camp or getting stuck in a city that isn’t their home for two months like what has happened.
Christoph Holzapfel: No international tourist will sacrifice seven days of a holiday to quarantine. This proposed model has been tried and failed in many top tourist destinations. Guess what, nobody came! Unless tourists have unrestricted travel options in their destination, very few will actually bother to book a trip.
Pbistline: I wouldn’t worry too much about tourists arriving any time soon. No one is coming until ALL the businesses are open. Bars. Karaoke (parlors). Nail spas.What people come to do is to relax and have fun. Put yourself in a tourist’s position. Come to Vietnam while tourist attractions are shut down? Or spend your money elsewhere where you can have an enjoyable time?
Tan Zar: It is time for Vietnam to follow the examples of Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and the U.S. – all these countries are to open in October and November without quarantine on arrival.. Two vaccine shots plus PCR test is enough. The most Vietnam can demand is QR monitoring for one week on arrival.
The big holiday season in December is coming. Hotels, airlines, entertainment businesses, malls, taxis – all of them need to get ready to welcome tourists. Then, visa, hotel and air ticket bookings – international tourists need time to plan their journey (months in advance). It’s time for Vietnam to open international flights NOW!
Tôi đồng ý với bạn (I agree with you): This is a time for airlines to get creative; by that I mean offering discounts and incentive services and working with hotels and attractions to give out good deals. Need to prod people back into the habit of going on vacations. It’s a long haul for sure, but it has to be done.
VnExpress.net – October 22, 2021