Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has named five cities and provinces that will be allowed to welcome foreign tourists from November under the first phase of the country’s roadmap to reopening.
The chosen localities – Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh – are all popular tourist and beach destinations.
Quang Nam is also home to the ancient town of Hoi An and Suncity’s new integrated resort Hoiana while Kien Giang incorporates the island of Phu Quoc, home to the only casino at which some locals are allowed to gamble, Corona Resort & Casino.
Under the first phase of reopening, foreign tourists must confirm their place of residence and where they intend to visit before arriving and must not depart from those chosen locations for the first seven days of their stay. After seven days they can travel elsewhere pending a negative COVID-19 test result.
While only certain parts of the five locations will be opened to tourists, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has confirmed that visitors to Kien Giang will be taken to parts of Phu Quoc, according to news outlet VN Express. It is believed that such restrictions would involve visitors being transported directly from the airport to their approved places of residence rather than arranging their own transportation.
From January 2022, other locations will be allowed to apply to receive tourists with their approval dependent upon their COVID-19 situation at the time. Vietnam is hoping for a full reopening to international tourists sometime in 2Q22.
Notably, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, home to The Grand Ho Tram Strip, is not on the initial list of locations to open to international tourists, however local media outlets reported last week that the province welcomed back its first domestic tourists since June on Saturday 16 October.
