Phu Quoc to welcome foreign visitors with vaccine passports by October

Phu Quoc is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Vietnam. (Photo: nld.com.vn)

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has proposed opening Phu Quoc Island to international visitors with vaccine passports after receiving consultations from the Ministries of Health, Public Security, Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Transport, and Information and Communications.

During the first phase of the pilot programme, which will last three months, Phu Quoc will welcome 2,000 to 3,000 visitors per month via charter flights in a limited number of locations.

The second phase, also lasting for three months, will host 5,000 to 10,000 visitors per month. Passengers will be picked up via commercial flights and experience Phu Quoc on a larger scale.

The purpose of this programme is to gradually restore the international tourism market and the tourism industry while promoting Vietnam as a safe and attractive destination with effective pandemic prevention and control measures.

International visitors who want to visit Phu Quoc must have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine recognised by Vietnamese authorities. The second dose must be injected at least 14 days and not more than 12 months from the entry time.

Visitors with a certificate showing COVID-19 recovery and who have been discharged for not more than 12 months are also allowed to enter Phu Quoc.

All tourists before entering Vietnam must be tested negative for COVID-19 via the PCR method.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Kien Giang provincial People’s Committee will select appropriate service providers to host foreign visitors.

Vietnam is expected to welcome visitors from markets with high tourism potential and epidemic safety across regions such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the US and the Middle East.

Visitors must enter Phu Quoc by air only. They will be taken to designated accommodations and entertainment sites.

To ensure safety during the pilot period, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposes vaccinating at least 70 percent of the population and workers in Phu Quoc city between July and September this year.

At the end of June, the Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Kien Giang province to develop a tourism pilot programme to welcome international visitors to designated areas in the province.