Russian tourists visit the south-central province of Khanh Hoa under a pilot international tourism program. – Photo: Courtesy of VINGROUP

The ministry has sent the draft guidelines to the relevant ministries and agencies, which should send their feedback by January 11.

The draft guidelines allow foreigners, overseas Vietnamese and Vietnamese citizens to books tours to Vietnam.

Specifically, international tourists who are fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, unvaccinated, or have recovered from Covid can travel to this Southeast Asian nation.

Those who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid can join package tours offered by travel agencies within at least three days after they enter Vietnam.

With a negative result from a PCR test taken on the third day of their arrival, foreign tourists can continue to join booked tours or other travel programs and use the travel services offered in localities allowed to receive international tourists. They can also return to their places of residence or visit their relatives.

Those under 18, over 65, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical problems who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated can travel to Vietnam with their parents, legal guardians, or caregivers who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid. These tourists can take package tours within the first week of their entry and take a PCR test on the third and seventh days.

If they test positive, they will have to follow the Health Ministry’s Covid treatment guidelines. If the result is negative, they will have to monitor their health for 14 days.

The parents, guardians, and caregivers traveling with them must comply with the authorities’ regulations on Covid testing and control.

After getting a negative Covid test result on the seventh day, these tourists can travel as fully vaccinated travelers.

Meanwhile, according to the ministry’s current guidelines issued on November 5 last year, only international travelers and overseas Vietnamese from Vietnam’s key tourism markets were allowed to visit the country under its pilot tourism program. They must be fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid and joined seven-day package tours after their entry.

Source: SGT

Welcome int’l guests: overcoming fear to safely adapt to pandemic

For the January-November period of 2021, the number of domestic tourists was 34.75 million, and total revenue was 167 trillion VND, 40% down year on year.