Vietnam should end covid test for visitors

The Tourism advisory Board has suggested government should end covid test for visitors to enter the country as Vietnam is going to open fully from March 15.

Experts suggest foreign and domestic tourists should be treated alike. Right now, quarantine and testing are not required for domestic tourists. They only need to test when show symptoms of Covid.

Foreign tourists who are fully vaccinated can enter many countries without testing requirements and Vietnam should follow end covid test for visitors to boost its competitiveness.

The Board also suggestion that of parents have a valid Covid vaccination certificate, then their accompanying children should not need to be tested.

Foreign tourists testing positive after entry could be isolated at their place of accommodation like domestic visitors, it recommended.

Luong Hoai Nam, a member of the council, said Vietnam should adopt open tourism policies to attract foreign visitors and compete with neighboring countries after reopening.

“No foreign tourist will be ready to return to the country if we impose strict restrictions.”

Earlier the Ministry of Health had recommended that foreign tourists should self-isolate for three days after entry and test two to three times during this period.

For unvaccinated children under 12 this period should be seven days with daily tests, it said.

Vietnam started allowing foreign tourists under a vaccine passport program with strict restrictions last November. So far, nearly 9,000 foreign arrivals have been welcomed under the program, half of them Vietnamese overseas coming to see their relatives.

According to the proposal, tour packages with designated travel agencies are not required anymore for all foreign tourists arriving in Vietnam after March 15. This requirement used to be part of the vaccine passport trial program launched in November last year.

Vietnam reopen for tourists after 2 years totally freeze because of pandemic effect.

Under the program, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, and Binh Dinh provinces, along with Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang City are the only localities foreign tourists can visit.