-
Number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam plunges 98.7% in first quarter of this year, reported Vietnam News Agency.
-
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has worked with representatives from relevant ministries and sectors to discuss a pilot plan on bringing foreign visitors to the country.
-
Authorities have also bolstered negotiations with international partners on vaccine procurement while speeding up homegrown vaccine development to ensure accessibility for local people.
-
Visit Vietnam Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in the first quarter of this year fell 98.7 per cent year-on-year to just over 48,000, as the country’s inbound tourism sector continues to suffer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).
As the country has closed its borders to nearly all foreign arrivals since late March last year to contain the pandemic and implemented strict quarantine protocols, the number of visitors arriving by air, land, and sea has fallen substantially.
Most arrivals have been foreign experts, diplomats, and technical workers working for Vietnamese projects or drivers bringing goods through border gates, according to the GSO.
The pandemic is largely under control in Việt Nam, with frontline workers now receiving vaccine shots. Authorities have bolstered negotiations with international partners on vaccine procurement while speeding up homegrown vaccine development to ensure accessibility for local people.
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said although it was necessary to reopen the door to foreign tourists, the country must ensure effective pandemic prevention.
VNAT has worked with representatives from relevant ministries and sectors to discuss a pilot plan on bringing foreign visitors to Vietnam.
Source markets must have sound pandemic prevention measures in place and have bilateral agreements with Vietnam on the issue, such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan (China). Travel companies and destinations must also meet State requirements on pandemic prevention, according to Vietnam News Agency.