The event featured the participation of leaders of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and many experts and tourism businesses from across the country.
Speaking at the seminar, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry had been contributing to the overall development towards sustainability, with the proportion accounting for nearly 10% of the country's GDP. However, due to the impact of the pandemic, Vietnamese tourism has been hit hard.
However, with the determination to bring tourism out of difficulties, along with the gradual restoration of domestic tourism, Vietnam has piloted the welcoming of international visitors with a high safety factor, while the speed of vaccination in Vietnam has reached the top 6 in the world, these provide opportunities to reopen the international tourism market.
Reporting on the results of the pilot programme to welcome international tourists, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh said that as of January 23, 2022, Vietnam has welcomed more than 8,500 international tourists to three localities: Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Khanh Hoa, and Quang Nam.
Although the pilot programme to welcome international visitors has only been implemented for a short time, the number of international tourists has not been much, but these initial important and positive results have proven that Vietnam is a "safe and attractive" tourist destination, affirming the Vietnamese tourism industry’s capacity for "safe and flexible adaptation".
It is also an important basis for the tourism industry to propose to the Government to allow preparation to fully open to international tourists, contributing to the rapid recovery and regaining growth momentum, contributing to the sustainable development of the country's spearhead economic sector.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposed that from now until April 30, 2022, Vietnam should continue with the second phase of the pilot programme to welcome international visitors; and from May 1, 2022, to fully open international tourism activities through all international border crossings under the new normal.
At the seminar, the delegates all agreed on the need to soon open the international tourism market.
In looking back at the limitations and obstacles in the first phase of the pilot programme, the workshop made many proposals and recommendations for the effective and safe reopening of international visitor activities.
