From November 2021, international flights (charter flights) connected to 5 Vietnam localities to welcome foreign tourists in the first phase are Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Kien Giang. Initially, these localities have successfully welcomed international tourists with increasing frequency of flights. However, charter flights are infrequent and limited in number. Therefore, it is difficult to attract tourists. In fact, only with the reopening of regular flights can the segment and market of travelers be expanded further. This not only facilitates travel agencies but also passengers with more flexible and appropriate travel plans.

In January 2022, Vietnam entered phase 2 of the pilot program to welcome international tourists. The main markets at this stage are Northeast Asia and Europe. There are two more localities, Ho Chi Minh City and Binh Dinh that have just been allowed to welcome international visitors. On this basis, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has also planned to reopen regular routes to 9 markets namely Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia, USA, Korea, Thailand, Laos and China. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has approved domestic airlines to operate up to 4 flights per week on each flight route, based on the agreement between countries. Specifically, in the first phase of the pilot program, regular routes will be opened between Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo, Taipei, Beijing/Guangzhou, San Francisco/Los Angeles, Bangkok, Vientiane, Phnom Penh and Hanoi - Seoul. Up to now, 8 international routes have been restored. Particularly, the flight route to China cannot be reopened because the negotiation procedures have not been completed. The reopening of regular international routes will help airlines reduce costs greatly since they can actively set up flight schedules and sell two-way tickets to customers. More and more flights will reduce costs. This is the basis for low fare adjustment. Moreover, it also creates favorable conditions for travel agencies when being more proactive in building tours with suitable prices for tourists. Travelers also have a wider choice of destinations.

On this basis, airlines such as Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, and Bamboo Airways have opened ticket sales at Airline's Ticket Offices and on their websites to several locations including the U.S., Japan, and Taiwan in January 2022. Vietnam Airlines has planned to resume regular international flights between Vietnam and 15 countries and territories in the first half of 2022. Phase 1 is expected to start in January 2022, operating two-way flights between Vietnam and the US, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and the like. The next phase is to expand flights to Europe and Australia when permitted by the authorities. Meanwhile, Vietjet Air has also reopened international routes connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea. Flight routes are operated from 1 round trip/week and then increased according to the needs of people and tourists. Vietjet Air is expected to reopen all international routes it has previously operated. Particularly, Bamboo Airways will exploit to the maximum according to the frequency allocated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, then will open many new international routes in the next period when conditions permit. As expected, the airline will expand the scale of its international flight network to 40 routes in 2022.

Although international routes have been allowed to reopen regularly, there are still many concerns. For instance, a new Covid Variant called Omicron broke out in several destinations that Vietnam connects. This creates new barriers. Specifically, Japan still applies border measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, while South Korea temporarily stipulates a 10-day quarantine for foreigners entering. In Vietnam, passengers make take quick tests for SARS-CoV-2 before boarding and leaving the aircraft. Moreover, they have to bear the costs of tests, which will have a reasonable price in line with the Ministry of Health's regulations. Taking quick tests before boarding and leaving the aircraft will take time and cause congestion in the area. Furthermore, it also requires procedures to follow for detection and notification of cases of SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, in each locality, there are different isolation regulations for people entering the country. Specifically, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City still require isolation and health declaration for people entering the city. The inconsistent regulations will make tourists afraid. Therefore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam also proposes not to restrict international visitors entering Vietnam. We should only require visitors to have valid visas and passports, fully meeting the requirements of pandemic prevention and control according to the regulations of Vietnam.

Aviation and tourism have a mutual connection, so the difficulties of the aviation industry also have a significant impact on tourism. When flight connections face too many barriers, it will also negatively affect the market. Recovering the tourism sector and ensuring safety is a prerequisite. Therefore, it is necessary to have flexible, unified, and appropriate policies for safe adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic.