HCMCity (VNA) – The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has proposed thecity welcome fully vaccinated foreign tourists from December in a document submittedto the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

InVietnam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is temporarily recognising"vaccine passports" of more than 70 countries and territories, and in discussions with nearly 80 other partners for mutual recognition of thespecial passports. Five localities – Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, QuangNam, and Da Nang – have been approved by the Government to pilot the policy ofwelcoming international guests using "vaccine passports". These arethe preconditions for the reopening of international tourism activities in the southern city.

ViceChairwoman of the municipal People's Committee Phan Thi Thang said the city also has other necessary conditions to welcome foreign visitors such as highvaccination rate and a capable health system, which is ready in terms of human,material resources, medical equipment and supplies and experienced in handlingsituations arising in COVID-19 prevention and control.

According to Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa,director of the municipal Tourism Department, the local sector is makingefforts to overhaul its products, with a focus on the local green, cultural,and historical features and on building high-end services shopping malls in thelong run.  

If approved by the Prime Minister, from this December, the southern economic hub will pilot allowing qualified internationaltravel agencies to host visitors under a closed package tour programme. The tourists,coming to the city via charter and regular international flights, are only ableto visit, eat, and rest according to a predetermined route to ensure COVID-19 safetymeasures.

Eligible foreign holiday-makers need tomeet several conditions including receiving authorised certificates of theirfull vaccination at least 14 days and lessthan 12 months prior to their arrival, or recovery from the coronavirus; as well as having negative test results in72 hours before departure and owning health or tourism insurance cards.

Meanwhile, the local tourism servicesuppliers have to strictly follow pandemic prevention regulations, with allworkers involved fully vaccinated and lodging facilities arranging temporary quarantineareas for any suspected cases. The tourism sector has so far prepared optionsfor tackling the detection of COVID-19 infections during the process.

Then, in January 2022, the city willwelcome international guests and possibly combine many destinations between itand localities, which are also allowed to welcome guests. From April 2022, itis expected to fully reopen to the international tourist market.

In addition, the authorities alsoproposed to reopen some international routes from HCM City to San Francisco,Los Angeles (the US), London (the UK), and Frankfurt (Germany)./.