‘Defrost' Vietnamese tourism for the new normal era

Removing the quarantine regulations for tourists

Due to the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, tourism in Viet Nam sustained particularly high losses in 2020. After several years of consistent spectacular development, Viet Nam reported a dramatic decrease in the number of local and foreign tourists in 2020 for the first time due to the Covid-19 outbreak. In 2020, the total number of visitors served by the lodging, food, and beverage service businesses was 97.3 million VND, a 44% decline from the previous year; the number of tourists serviced by travel agencies was 3.7 million, an 80.1 percent decrease. International arrivals in Vietnam fell by 78.7 percent year on year, with just 3.8 million new arrivals.

However, on behalf of reviving tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has just given provisional instructions to the Prime Minister on piloting overseas tourists to Vietnam. As a result, international tourists to Vietnam will be limited to 90 days of stay and will engage in tourism programs established in the region and locally permitted service facilities.

This time, the draft Guidelines include two additional elements that are claimed to be more open than before: visitors with negative test results after arrival are not subject to a 7-day quarantine, and the number of visits limitation is removed.

Specifically, overseas travelers who register for a tour package within 7 days of entering the country and testing negative for Covid-19 will be eligible to engage in tourism activities according to the travel business's schedule. Guests are not permitted to break out from the group or leave the designated pick-up area. Furthermore, guests need to avoid close interaction with members of other tourist groups. These attempts are targeted at reviving the country's tourist industry amid a depressing year.

Local tourism revival

After 30/9, business, commerce, and transportation activities in Saigon have been permitted to restart, but must adhere to safety precautions. Moreover, in order to progressively reopen the domestic tourist sector, tourism operators around the country have chosen "green tour" routes to attract visitors. As soon as the pandemic is under control, Quang Binh province will launch a "1 route - 2 destinations" package tour. From this signal, travel companies are aggressively preparing to connect with provinces and cities such as Ho Chi Minh City for the tourist sector to revive.

According to Mr. Ho An Phong, Vice Chairman of the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee, the pandemic situation in the area has been well contained. To provide visitors returning to Quang Binh with peace of mind and comfort, the province promptly opened and restored tourism in the form of a package tour "1 route - 2 locations" as soon as the epidemic wave receded. This trip is deployed as a bundle in accordance with the "green tour" implemented by Oxalis Company. All tour participants must have a "Covid-19 green card" and, if F0, a certificate of recovery within 6 months. During their voyage, tourists must follow the health industry's epidemic prevention laws... " - Mr. Ho An Phong continued.

Similarly, Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Director of Tourism in Thua Thien Hue province, stated that the government had just lifted the isolation requirements for tourists to the province. As a result, travelers flying to Thua Thien Hue would not be quarantined if they are qualified. There are now three flights to Thua Thien Hue, and visitors can register for a service stay if there is no monitoring condition at their residence. In fact, tourism in Thua Thien Hue has remained lively in recent months, although it mostly serves domestic visitors.

According to Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, if provinces and cities wish to welcome inter-provincial and inter-regional visitors in the long-term scenarios, they must accelerate vaccination coverage, particularly for individuals working in tourism and service. Tourist destinations must also expedite the construction of the national QR card.

Mr. Le Tri Thanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, stated that while the province was particularly interested in reviving tourism, it must also meet and match local disease prevention and control norms. We would open the tourist business if vaccine coverage was high enough; at the moment, the local immunization rate was barely 33%. As a result, the economic recovery, especially tourism, is heavily reliant on immunization for both individuals and the tourism sector.

Staycation in Saigon

Saigon, fortunately, is gradually re-opening with many kinds of accommodation services such as hotels, hostels, and homestays being operated. However, traveling to other regions still contains high-risk virus infections in some public spots (stations, airports, hotel lobbies…). People begin finding an alternative traveling way to fully enjoy their life in the post-Covid era while remaining safe.

According to Mr. Tran Anh Hao—an owner of a homestay chain located in Binh Thanh District—right after the authorities loosened restrictions, every room was immediately reserved and fully booked until the end of October. All staying guests must provide a medical statement and have a valid green card. In addition, after each visit, Mr. Hao sanitizes the space and belongings to assure the safety of the following group of visitors. Guests are recommended to use air conditioning sparingly and to open the door to let air flow in the room.

Staycation is expected to grow in popularity as a result of benefits such as cost savings, being proactive in time and preparation; readily addressing the demands of experience, discovery; and flexibility in approach. In the near future, it will be robust, with extensive coverage. "This trend fits not just the demands of young people, but also the preferences of older customers. The Covid-19 outbreak has significantly altered tourist travel patterns. As a result, travel organizations are being compelled to adapt, grasp the chance to flip their business model around, and search for possibilities to return to the post-Covid-19 pandemic, beginning with this very trend of staycation." said Doan Ngoc Tung, Vice President of Hanoi UNESCO Travel Club, Director of MTV Vietnam International Tourism Joint Stock Company.