Khanh Hoa seeks green light for allowing foreign tourists

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province have sought approval from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to allow back in fully immunized tourists from Europe and Northeast Asia.

Khanh Hoa People's Committee on Tuesday sent a draft plan of a two-phase vaccine passport program to the ministry on welcoming foreign tourists by charter flights, the government portal reported.

In the first phase of the program between November and year-end, foreign tourists will arrive by charter flights and stay at sequestered resorts on Long Beach in Cam Ranh, around 45 kilometers from Nha Trang Town.

Long Beach is situated far away from residential areas and has 12 resorts with 6,000 five-star rooms. All tourism staff there have been fully vaccinated.

In the second phase between the beginning of and March next year, visitors will be allowed at more tourist destinations and isolated resorts in Nha Trang Town such as Vinpearl on Hon Tre Island, Champa Island Nha Trang Resort and Hon Tam Resort.

Province authorities eye tourists from countries and territories that have successfully controlled Covid-19 and have high vaccination rates such as mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, and some North American countries.

Visitors need to furnish a certificate showing they are fully vaccinated with a type approved by Vietnam, and got the second shot at least 14 days before arrival.

Those who had contracted and recovered from Covid and visitors under 18 with a negative Covid certificate will also be allowed entry.

The province, home to tourist hotspots Nha Trang and Cam Ranh besides other attractions, has basically brought the pandemic under control. It also plans to resume intra-provincial tourism this month.

Over 900,000 people aged 18 and above in Khanh Hoa have been vaccinated and the province strives to vaccinate all tourism staff by October 15 to reopen the tourism sector.

In 2019, the year before the onset of Covid, Khanh Hoa received over seven million tourists, half of them foreigners.

Vietnam closed its borders to foreign tourists and canceled all international flights in March last year.

The government is planning to allow entry for fully-vaccinated foreign visitors to some destinations.