Nguyen Van Hung, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Thursday that any plan to receive tourists must abide by coronavirus prevention measures.

Previously, on Tuesday, the tourism ministry and Kien Giang authorities had been requested to prepare a plan to receive foreigners to Phu Quoc and submit it to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh next month.

Foreign tourists on Truong Beach of Phu Quoc Island.

The health ministry would cooperate with other relevant entities to trial the use of vaccine passports allowing foreigners to travel to certain tourism destinations that have managed the novel coronavirus pandemic well, it was announced.

The National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control had already decided in April that three groups of entrants: vaccinated Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas; foreigners wishing to enter Vietnam for investment and business purposes; and international tourists would be eligible to use vaccine passports.

The vaccine passport is currently envisaged as a digital document issued by the country where the vaccine has been administered.

Vietnam plans to receive people coming from countries that have managed Covid-19 outbreaks well, including those that have achieved herd immunity thanks to their vaccination programs. Such people will be able to visit tourist sites and resorts designated for their ability to control the flow of tourist traffic well and be able to manage guests' itineraries efficiently and safely.

Last week, Kien Giang authorities had announced plans to vaccinate the island’s population against Covid-19 so that it can reopen its doors to foreigners.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island, has become a top tourist destination after the government rolled out a 30-day visa-free policy for foreigners in 2014.

In 2019, the last year before the onset of the pandemic, it received over five million visitors, including 541,600 foreigners.

Vietnam closed its borders and canceled all international flights in March last year. Only Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts, diplomats, investors, and highly-skilled workers have been allowed in since with stringent quarantine requirements.

Over 966,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to be distributed nationwide

The Ministry of Health on June 17 announced it will distribute a total of 966,320 doses of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to local Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs), hospitals and medical units, among others, across the country.

Many more donations to Covid-19 vaccine fund

(BGO) – The Covid-19 vaccine fund in Bac Giang province received many more donations in June 12 and 13 from various organizations and individuals inside and outside the province. 

Vietnam approves Pfizer Covid vaccine for emergency use

Vietnam has approved the emergency use of a Covid-19 vaccine developed by U.S.-based firm Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech Inc., the Ministry of Health announced Saturday.

3 billion VND donated to Covid-19 vaccine fund

(BGO) – On behalf of Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank), representatives of Agribank Bac Giang branch and Agribank Bac Giang branch 2 on June 10 donated 3 billion VND (131,400 USD) to Covid-19 vaccine fund at the office of the Fatherland Front Committee (FFC) in Bac Giang province. 

More vaccines via COVAX Facility to arrive in Vietnam in July: UNICEF

More vaccine doses from the COVAX Facility, the global Covid-19 vaccine equity scheme, are scheduled to be delivered in Vietnam in July, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Rana Flowers has told Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long.

Source: VnExpress