Hanoi (VNA)ꦉ - From October 1, Phu Quoc will be the first destination to welcome international visitors back after the Government approved the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’ proposal on a pilot plan to welcome tourists back under the vaccine passport programme.

Although there is still a lot of work to do for localities and businesses to catch up with the old cycle after a long time of "paralysis" due to the epidemic, with the pilot plan to welcome visitors back in the form of "vaccine passports," "tourist paradise" Phu Quoc is raising hopes for the "light ray" of recovery.

A closed process for foreign tourists

Under the plan, visitors from countries with high safety in COVID-19 prevention and control in regions such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Australia will need to book package tours of travel agencies if they want to go to Phu Quoc. To enter the country, visitors must meet certain requirements including a certificate of full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 not more than 12 months from the date of their release from hospital to the date of entry. They also have to present a negative COVID-19 testing certificate issued by authorised agencies within 72 hours before departure. Children under 12 years old have to travel with  their parents or guardians that satisfy the above-mentioned papers. Visitors are also required to install the Vietnam Safe Travel or the Healthy Vietnam apps and make a medical declaration through those apps. In case visitors do not meet all the necessary requirements, they may be denied entry and bear the cost of returning to their home country or transit. After arriving in the country, visitors must comply with the Health Ministry’s 5K message – khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations). Any tourists who have suspicion symptoms forCOVID-19 at the entry point should follow quarantine measures, and always turn on bluetooth and GPS after installing medical declaration applications. Visitors have to travel on their designated cars in line with the approved schedule. Service staff, drivers, guides and tourists are required to wear masks throughout the journey.

Preparations by host destinations

The selected airlines and road transport units must ensure safety against COVID-19, good service quality, reputation and a team trained in anti-epidemic procedures. To directly participate in the process of welcoming and serving tourists, from quarantine officers, immigration control officers to employees of airlines, tour operators, transportation, accommodation, etc., all must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Selected travel enterprises must have an international travel business license, have operated for three years or more and have experience in welcoming at least 30,000 international guests/year. While at the accommodation establishments, foreign tourists will be taken samples for COVID-19 testing and stay there until the testing results are announced. In case a tourist is tested positive or suspected infection, he/she will be treated or isolated (with fees) under the Ministry of Health’ regulations. If the result is negative, the tourists will continue their journey as planned. General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh said Phu Quoc needs to speed up the vaccination for its residents, and those that will directly involved in welcoming and serving holiday makers. Attention should be paid to developing a specific plan for the pilot programme related to medical regulations, immigration procedures, procedures to welcome and serve tourists at accommodation establishments, tourist attractions, and plans for handling medical incidents. Under the tourism sector's plan, Phu Quoc will receive tourists for six months in two phases on a trial basis, starting from October. In the first phase, lasting three months, the island is expected to welcome 3,000-5,000 international visitors per month via charter flights, with visitors' activities limited to certain sites. Depending on the outcome of the first phase, the pilot programme would be scaled up to welcome 5,000-10,000 passengers per month on commercial flights, and the sites opened to foreign visitors might be extended./.