Foreign travellers must meet some certain conditions if they want to visit Vietnam in the coming months. (Illustrative image)
Foreign travelers wishing to visit Vietnam are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, have a negative COVID-19 test, book package tours, and have travel insurance, VOV reported policies put forward by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
First of all, foreign travelers must present a certificate to prove that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with the vaccines being recognised by competent Vietnamese authorities.
Secondly, visitors must show a negative COVID-19 test by the RTPCR/RT-LAMP method within 72 hours before departure. In addition, this certificate must be issued by competent authorities in the country where the test was performed.
Thirdly, visitors are required to have medical insurance in order to cover the cost of any COVID-19 treatment at a minimum spending level of US$50,000 in the event that they are infected with the virus.
Fourthly, visitors must follow package tours arranged by the travel agency.
Upon arriving in Vietnam, travelers will be tested on both the first and seventh days in the event that they book a tour of more than seven days. In all other cases, they are recommended to self-test every two to three days using a rapid test kit.
During the course of their stay, visitors are required to strictly follow Vietnamese COVID-19 guidelines and prevention measures, including wearing a face mask and avoiding large gatherings in public places.
Photo for illustration (Source: VOV)
For the time being, the pilot scheme will be implemented this month in Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang, and Quang Ninh, all of which are home to internationally recognised tourist destinations.
Phu Quoc alone is set to welcome its first foreign visitors on November 20. The island city in the south has set a target of receiving between 3,000 and 5,000 foreign visitors in the first phase. Notably, overseas travelers to Phu Quoc are exempt from entry visas.
The Vietnamese Government has approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s proposal to reopen the country to international visitors through a three phase scheme, with the first phase starting in November, second phase from January 2022, and the third phase probably starting in June 2022.
Vietnam has closed its borders to foreign travelers since April 2020, when the SARS-CoV-2 virus initially spread rapidly across the country. It has since experienced four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, dealing a heavy blow to all local tourism services.
According to economic experts, Vietnam cannot keep its borders closed any longer or it will risk losing out to other regional countries in terms of economic and tourism development.
The country is currently transitioning into a stage of safe and flexible adaptation and effective control of COVID-19. Due to this shift in policy, the Government has allowed the tourism sector to welcome back foreign visitors from destinations with a high level of safety.
Tour operators have stated they are ready to receive the first foreign visitors as soon as detailed guidelines are issued.
Vietnam to resume air routes to 15 countries, territories globally
Vietnam will restore international commercial flights to 15 countries and territories worldwide under a four phase scheme proposed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).
Photo for illustration (Source: VOV)
Phase I:
Time: Starting in Quarter IV 2021
Passengers: Vietnamese returnees and foreigners booking package tours
Markets: Japan, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Germany, Russia and Australia
Requirements: 7-day quarantine for fully vaccinated passengers and 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated passengers, plus a negative COVID-19 test
Phase II:
Time: Starting in January 2022
Passengers: Vietnamese returnees and foreigners
Frequency: 4 flights/week/each airline
Markets: China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, France, Germany, Russia, Australia, Laos, Cambodia, and the United Kingdom.
Requirements: 7-day quarantine for fully vaccinated passengers and 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated passengers, plus a negative COVID-19 test
Phase III:
Time: Starting in April 2022
Passengers: Vietnamese returnees and foreigners
Frequency: 7 flights/week/each airline
Markets: to be expanded
Requirements: No quarantine is needed if a vaccine passport model is in use; 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated passengers.
Phase IV:
Time: Starting in July 2022
Passengers: Vietnamese citizens and foreigners
Flight frequency: Unlimited
Markets: open
Requirements: Aviation and health requirements
Hanoi’s first metro line starts commercial service
Hanoi’s first metro line, Line 2A, has started commercial service after the project was handed over from the Ministry of Transport to the capital city on November 6, reported NDO.
Passengers on the metro (Source: NDO)
The 13-kilometre line runs on elevated tracks through 12 stations from Cat Linh Station in Dong Da District to Yen Nghia Station in Ha Dong District.
Construction of the line, which costs US$868 million, began in 2011 and was scheduled for completion in 2017 but it has been delayed multiple times.
Hanoi’s first metro line starts commercial service (Source: NDO)
Passengers can use the line free of charge during the first 15 days of commercial service. After that, the fares will start at VND7,000 (US$0.31) for the shortest distance while the maximum cost will be VND15,000 (US$0.65) for the entire line.
Commuters can enjoy unlimited rides in a single day at VND30,000 (US$1.31) while a monthly pass will cost VND200,000 (US$8.72), with a 50% reduction in price for students./.