Domestic tourism gradually reopens

In September 2021, the Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City cooperates with travel agencies to build 2 pilot tours named “Can Gio - Beautiful Nature” and “Green journey to the Land of Steel”, after the districts of Can Gio and Cu Chi identified as “green zone”. They are one-day tours in outdoor destinations, isolated from residential areas, in order to welcome medical workers who have actively assisted the southern city in the COVID-19 fight.

The tours aim to learn the history, introduce the cultural features, craft villages, and natural landscapes of the two districts. These tours are also incentives, showing gratitude to the frontline forces in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City. Furthermore, they must comply with guidelines and recommendations on the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic from the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Participants and service staff must be fully vaccinated with 2 shots, and have negative SARS-CoV-2 virus PCR test results before serving visitors or taking part in the tours. Tours to Can Gio and Cu Chi are considered the first tour to pilot the “closed bubble” tourism model with routes, transportation, and service following safety standards. Thereby, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to reopen tourism services in an effort to welcome the return of domestic tourists in the aftermath of the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quang Ninh has begun reopening tourism services in an effort to welcome the return of domestic tourists since September 21st. The route to stimulate tourism starts from November, which focuses on the northern localities and destinations without COVID-19 cases in the community for 14 days. Travelers must be fully vaccinated and have negative SARS-CoV-2 virus PCR test results within 48 hours. Quang Ninh prioritizes the application of tourism models that do not pose disease risks to the community. The province has also launched a number of interesting activities and encouraged “closed services” and long-stay tours. Moreover, the installation of QR codes at agencies, businesses, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions is being carried out by the provincial authorities, as part of efforts to promote digitalization in the tourism sector.

Similarly, some provinces and cities that have the pandemic under control also welcome the return of domestic tourists. The People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province has also permitted four Ho Tram Strips complex, Meliá Ho Tram hotel, Binh Chau hot spring resort, and Six Senses Con Dao Resort, to pilot the return of domestic tourists with “closed” services. Meanwhile, Ca Mau province also re-launched a promotion program named “Ca Mau 2021” with a series of activities which is expected to take place from the end of October like Marathon at Cape Ca Mau Tourist Area, Dat Mui Food Festival, Nam Can Crab Festival associated with Ca Mau culinary culture, etc.

Cautiously pilot welcoming international guests

Vietnam also considers welcoming international guests in the new situation. Initially, this plan will be piloted in some localities and gradually expanded in phases and international markets. Phu Quoc (Kien Giang) is the first pilot destination that has been approved by the Government following Document No. 6345/VPCP-KGVX and will begin to receive international tourists from October in the condition that there are no cases positive to SARS-CoV-2 virus in the community. This pilot tourism model will expand to other destinations, such as Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Hoi An (Quang Nam), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Da Lat (Lam Dong) and so on.

On this basis, Khanh Hoa has a plan in stages. In phase 1, Khanh Hoa prioritizes “Khanh Hoa people travel Khanh Hoa” to focus on stimulating tourism demand in areas where the pandemic has been controlled, encouraging businesses to operate tours in “green zones” to attract local people. In phase 2, Khanh Hoa will expand its tourism market to neighboring provinces like Lam Dong, Phu Yen, Dak Lak, Binh Thuan, etc. In Phase 3, the province will pilot welcoming international visitors to 12 tourist establishments located in the north of Cam Ranh peninsula in December 2021. In addition, Khanh Hoa also considered adding some other isolated points in the plan such as Vinpearl Island Condotel (Vinpearl Hon Tre), Merperle Hon Tam Island, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay Resort, and so on. The accommodation facilities selected for the pilot plan are 5-star standard and located in closed areas. If approved, Khanh Hoa will welcome domestic guests on October 15th and international guests on December 1st this year.

Vinpearl Island Condotel (Vinpearl Hon Tre), Khanh Hoa.

Hoi An (Quang Nam) is one of the few destinations mentioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism that has built a plan to welcome the return of international visitors. Hoi An is one of the most favorite destinations of tourists from Europe, Japan, Korea, etc. For that fact, Quang Nam province initially welcomes visitors by charter flight to a number of complexes in the south of Hoi An. Depending on the epidemic situation at that time, the province will consider increasing more flights. Furthermore, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province has also issued Quang Nam tourism development program until 2025, vision to 2030. Specifically, Quang Nam will prioritize vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus for workers in the field of tourism in 2021. Quang Nam has been selected to host the National Tourism in 2022 but proposed to change the time to 2023 to ensure efficiency and safety. As a substitute for that, in 2022 Quang Nam will host a series of national events to stimulate tourism in the summer, the Mekong Tourism Forum 2022, and several national conferences chaired by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Quang Binh province is also implementing a tourism stimulus program. For instance, 50% reduction in entrance fees (applicable in 2022) routes and sites such as Phong Nha cave, Tu Lan cave system, Son Doong cave system, Sinh Ton valley - Thuy Cung cave, Dai H cave, Over cave, Pigmy cave and the like. Moreover, there is also a 50% reduction in entrance fees in some other tourist attractions such as Tien Son cave, Thien Duong cave and Me Bong Con cave, Nuoc Mooc eco-tourism area, Chay river - Toi cave, ecological area, and Phong Nha Botanical garden combined with environmental interpretation, etc. In response to this spirit, Oxalis Adventure - a tour provider to explore Son Doong cave, also has a tourism stimulus program for the 2021-2022 tour season. Tours of Oxalis Adventure belong to the luxury and self-contained line, which usually requires pre-registration with a limited quantity. All cave experts and tour guides of Oxalis Adventure have been fully vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They also provide closed services and exploration routes. Therefore, Oxalis Adventure's tours are considered a good starting point to stimulate tourism demand because they are popular with international tourists. Tour to explore Son Doong cave decreased significantly, from 58.2 million VND to more than 11 million VND.

The recovery of Vietnam's tourism sector needs time and must have a suitable and safe plan. Vaccine passports and “green zones” are solutions being considered and applied for the restoration of the tourism sector.