German media highlights Vietnam’s international tourism reopening
German media on March 16 reported that Vietnam has removed quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals in an effort to facilitate the country’s tourism, which bore the brunt of COVID-19.
Merkur.de news site of Germany reports Vietnam's removal of quarantine regulations (Photo: VNA)
Berlin (VNA) - German media on March 16 reported that Vietnam has removed quarantine requirements for foreign arrivals in an effort to facilitate the country’s tourism, which bore the brunt of COVID-19.
Zeit (Time) and other newspapers reported that foreign tourists only need to test negative for COVID-19 using RT-PCR method within 72 hours or rapid antigen test within 24 hours before departure.
Those who do not test before arriving in Vietnam must take a test within 24 hours and may leave their accommodations only if their results turn negative.
Furthermore, tourists are not required to hold a certificate of being fully vaccinated but they have to install a certified health management app. Children under two do not need to take COVID-19 test.
Passengers at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)
The newspapers also underlined that the Vietnamese Government on March 15 issued a resolution on visa waivers for citizens from 13 countries, including Germany. The beneficiaries will enjoy 15 days of visa-free travel in Vietnam beginning from their date of entry regardless of the kind of passport and entry purpose.
Stuttgart newspaper on the same day recommended tourists travel to Vietnam for a month-long bicycle ride across the country, which boasts diverse landscapes of forests, mountains, beaches and rice paddies. It also highlighted the Ho Chi Minh Trail, which is favoured by tourists opting for scooters or coaches.
The article added another perk of travelling using bicycles in Vietnam is that almost everyone can fix the vehicle and it will not take much time for amateur bicycle mechanics to come to rescue and help tourists resume their journey./.
The tourism sector’s target of welcoming 5 million foreign visitors and 60 million domestic tourists this year, and revenue of about 400 trillion VND (17.5 billion USD) is ambitious, but still reachable, according to General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh.
The date March 15 marked not only Vietnam’s complete reopening to foreign tourists but also the country’s official resumption of international exchange like the pre-pandemic period, with some measures taken to manage risks and ensure safety for all, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said.
A flight of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines carrying first foreign visitors to Vietnam landed at Tan Son Nhat airport on March 16, a day after the country officially reopened international tourism.
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Merkur.de news site of Germany reports Vietnam's removal of quarantine regulations (Photo: VNA) 
Passengers at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) 
