On May 17, the HCM City Delegation of National Assembly Deputies held a monitoring session on the implementation of Resolution 54 and the socio-economic situation in the first four months of the year.

At the session, the HCM City People’s Committee proposed that the delegation ask the National Assembly to discuss with the Government so that the Government instruct the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to join forces with ministries and branches to consider the policy on night-time economy development.

HCM City wants to pilot the opening of casinos at five-star hotels and large tourism sites, and allow Vietnamese people aged 18 or higher who have sufficient behavioral capacity and financial capability.

Regarding tourism development, HCM City wants to apply policies that offer incentives for investments in the tourism sector, especially investments in entertainment complexes with regional and international stature. 

The city has proposed that the National Assembly assign the Government to instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apply a reasonable visa policy for foreign travelers – considering th list of countries subject to visa waiver and e-visa; and extending the time of foreign travelers’ stay in Vietnam from 15 days to 30 days from the date of entry.

The city has also proposed that karaoke parlors, bars and discotheque halls at 4-5 star accommodation establishments can operate without a time limit, while the remaining establishments should be allowed to extend operation time.

Under Decree 54, karaoke parlors and bars can be open 8-24hours, while discotheque halls cannot operate 2-8hours.

HCM City wants the National Assembly to assign the Government to instruct the Ministry of Finance to cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to figure out policies on helping tourism companies to join tourism promotion programs.

It wants the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) to reduce electricity prices for travel firms and tourism sites as the firms have been heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also wants the Ministry of Health (MOH) to remove the requirement on RT-PCR testing for foreign travelers who have been fully vaccinated so that Vietnam’s tourism industry can regain its competitiveness in comparison with other regional countries.

At the working session, Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, a National Assembly, Deputy Director of the HCM City Department of Justice, noted the possible impact on society if Vietnamese people aged 18 and higher can go to casinos.

Ho Van