Vietnam

Health Ministry to draft new criteria to classify the pandemic level, including to stop relying on daily infection numbers and only consider hospitalisation and death rates as many mild and asymptomatic infections are treated at home, according to the Deputy Minister. A medical expert stated that with Omicron infection rate moving faster than Delta, relying on daily infection numbers would result in many localities declared as high risk zones, which would affect production and business activities

Hanoi aims to welcome 10-12 million visitors in 2022, including 1.2-2 million foreigners. Hanoi’s Tourism Department stated that tourism activities in the city will be quickly restored once the pandemic is under control domestically and globally. The department will collaborate with authorities and businesses to develop unique tourism products, upgrade tourist areas, and improve cultural tourism products. Hanoi welcomed 4 million domestic tourists in 2021, 53% of 2020’s number and 36% of the yearly target, generating a revenue of $490 million USD, which was 40% of 2020’s number and 23% of the yearly target

Dong Nai to build 3 routes worth $858 million USD in early 2023, connecting localities with the Long Thanh International Airport, which is set to start operations in 2025

HCMC to hold flower festivals and open tourist attractions as Tet approaches, with pandemic prevention measures in place

Visa’s Voice of the Consumer survey has shown that: • 76% of Vietnamese respondents are planning domestic leisure trips, while 38% are planning overseas trips • The top 3 factors providing comfort to travellers are the stability of the COVID-19 situation at the destination (63%), being vaccinated (48%), and the decrease of global cases (40%) • 52% are interested in travel bubbles, but not in the immediate future. A third of the respondents said they would be planning, booking, or having a staycation as soon as the government lifts restrictions, while 30% also said they would visit local attractions • The pandemic has caused a spike in online travel, with an increase in viewers of travel-related photos and videos. 53% watched YouTube travel videos, 40% visit travel sites on social media, and 38% took online virtual tours

HCMC to suspend Tet fireworks for the second consecutive year

All 1,000 slots for 2022 in local travel firm Oxalis Adventure’s 4D3N Son Doong Expedition cave tour has been booked by domestic visitors, mostly from HCMC and southern localities, Quang Binh Department of Tourism reported. The $3,000 USD/pax tour helps Quang Binh earn 50-60 billion VND annually. About 100 visitors, in which 80% are foreigners, have already booked slots for 2023 in the brief period since ticket sales started. Oxalis Adventure’s other cave exploration tours have also seen high demand for the upcoming Tet and summer holidays

Deputy PM has agreed that the 2022 Tet holidays will last for 5 days, 31 Jan-4 Feb

Hanoi’s Department of Tourism is making preparations to welcome foreign tourists “when conditions allow”, including launching tourism promotion programmes, as well as giving instructions to tour agencies, accommodation providers, and tourist attractions in how to ensure safety and quality of the tourism products

Con Dao Resort Travel Joint Stock Company to develop an eco-tourism site in Con Dao National Park in the Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. The development is in line with the park’s 2021-2030 project on ecological, leisure, and entertainment tourism, which aims to diversify tourism activities while raising awareness of local residents and visitors on environment and natural resources conservation

Standard Chartered predicts Vietnam’s GDP growth to reach 6.7% in 2022 and 7% in 2023, while HSBC estimates 6.5% for 2022

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam stated that all air passengers from countries with Omicron cases will still be required to undergo rapid testing when entering Vietnam, with the fees included in ticket prices or directly paid by passengers to the test organisers at the airport. The cost must not exceed the price set by the Ministry of Health. Deputy Minister of Transport has received proposals from airline on removing rapid testing regulations, stating that some foreign airports do not provide testing services before departure, as well as expressing concerns about testing costs, lack of instructions for airlines on the testing regulations, and possible congestion at airports at the peak time of international flights

Vietnam welcomed over 7,800 international travellers from 1-7 Jan via 64 flights including 18 commercial flights, while the rest were charter flights carrying experts and tourists on package tours, Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam reported. CAAV has received complaints on current pandemic prevention protocols from foreign passengers, including the requirement to submit medical declaration on many different apps and the rapid testing requirements

Southern Vietnam travel agencies are offering a range of tours ahead of the Tet period, mostly to “green zone” destinations, as well as those with natural open spaces and cultural experiences. Short day trips around HCMC and Mekong Delta are reportedly gaining popularity. Many tour operators have also strengthened COVID-19 measures, such as Vietravel requiring full-vaccination and the use of protective equipment for staff, COVID-19 testing for tour guides, as well as disinfection and higher hygiene standards. Vice Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee stated that local authorities and enterprises have collaborated to develop and promote tours in the city for New Year’s and Tet holidays, aiming to promote exciting new experiences and enhance the city’s image as a safe destination

VietnamPlus reported that a recent survey has shown that: • 90% of Vietnamese expressed desire to travel in the next 10 months, with 53.7% of them planning to take a trip between Dec 2021 to the first months of 2022, while 56% are prioritising pandemic safety • 75% hoped that digital platforms in tourism will focus on providing safe tourism information • 87% showed concerns about undertaking quarantine in their target destination or after returning from the trip • 61% were afraid of pandemic outbreak while travelling, while 54% showed hesitation due to different travel restriction measures among localities

Private Sector Development Committee and the Tourism Advisory Board has submitted a proposal on measures to support tourism sector’s post-pandemic recovery, asking the government to: • Maintain Resolution 128’s “flexibly and safely adapting to COVID-19” principle and keep it unchanged in future adjustments • Encourage localities to give regular and accurate updates on pandemic control measures, especially those related to travelling and accommodation, and create a hotline to support the work • Focus on digital transformation in tourism to ensure connections among authorities, businesses and localities during post-pandemic recovery and assist digital marketing in tourism • Strengthen the public-private dialogue to build tourism recovery plans

Vietcetera and Mastercard to hold Flavors Vietnam 2022 from Jan-Apr in HCMC and Hanoi, offering various gastronomic activities. The programme aims to boost local F&B industry and will see participation from over 500 businesses and an attendance of over 5,000 people

Vietnam has approved a $15.4 billion USD stimulus package for the 2022-2023 period to support those impacted by the pandemic, which will include measures to reduce VAT by 2 percentage points, cut loan interest rates by 0.5-1 percentage points and increase infrastructure investment, as well as funding for healthcare system and financial support to cut house rents for workers

Singapore-based tourism startup LynKey’s first projects to be announced in Q1 2022 and will digitise properties and resorts in Vietnam. LynKey has launched a “blockchain-powered token marketplace and ecosystem”, which will “tokenise all aspects of property development – purchases, leases, land use and related tourism entertainment” worth $8 billion USD. The company aims to combine “property tech and smart tourism experiences, from resorts and cruises with NFTs and metaverse AR and VR solutions”

Nghe An Province to focus on developing safe and eco-friendly agritourism after 2 years of the pandemic affecting the tourism industry. Director of the Hon Mat Eco-Tourism Area stated that they will combine tourism products with agricultural production experiences in line with new tourism trends. Vice Chairman of Dong Thanh District stated that this move has helped promote local agricultural specialties as well as friendly tourism

General Statistics Office reported that over 1.4 million Vietnamese became unemployed in 2021, up 17% YoY due to impacts of fourth COVID-19 wave

Tourism Ministry has submitted a draft guideline expanding the requirements for international tourists to visit Vietnam on 7-day package tours. Those under 18, over 65, pregnant women, and those with underlying medical problems who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated would be allowed to visit Vietnam under the new guideline, and are required to quarantine for 7 days. Fully-vaccinated tourists and those who have recovered from COVID-19 are required to self-isolate for 3 days

6 state-owned corporations failed to achieve annual revenue and profit targets, including Vietnam Airlines Corporation, Airports Corporation of Vietnam, and Vietnam Railways Corporation

Vietnam Immigration Department to stop the automatic extension of visas for foreign nationals stranded in Vietnam due to COVID-19

Medium-risk wards in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho districts to allow in-person dining from 10 Jan. Cau Giay district’s risk level increased to high and in-person dining will be suspended. Hanoi as a whole is at a medium coronavirus risk, with 20 districts at medium-risk and 8 at high-risk

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has asked local authorities to cancel Tet festivals and fireworks displays amid concerns of COVID-19 spike. The ministry urged localities to strengthen and raise awareness of COVID-19 preventive measures, as well as improve supervision of culture, sports and tourism activities before, during, and after Tet

Travel demand for Tet period remains low amid Omicron concerns. Airfares for HCMC-Hanoi return flights on 28 Jan, the last day before the holiday starts, dropped 20-25% YoY. Airlines have also cut the number of seats for Tet by 20-25% to 2.7 million this year. Ticket agents stated that travellers are going to book last minute to see the government’s response to the pandemic situation. Hanoi Railways has sold around 9,400 tickets, down 81% YoY. Vietnam Railways has sold 8.1% of its HCMC-Hanoi tickets and 3.8% of its Hanoi-HCMC tickets as of 4 Jan. Hanoi’s Giap Bat bus station sees around 700 passengers per day, down 90% YoY, with some buses leaving with only 2-3 passengers on board, according to the station director. He added that some bus companies have stopped selling tickets due to low demand

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has signed 2 new projects in Ho Tram, to be unveiled Q1 2024, as the latest phase in the brand’s expansion strategy in Vietnam which includes 4 properties in operation, 16 new properties signed, and ongoing discussions for more. The group aims to operate over 20 hotels and resorts by end of 2024

Vietnam Airlines has officially launched e-commerce platforms, VNAMAZING which offers tourism services and VNAMALL which offers various aviation and non-aviation goods and services. The airline also launched the Vietnam Airlines Gift Card for purchasing and upgrading airline tickets

International travellers looking to enter Vietnam following the resumption of regular international flights feel troubled by complicated and unclear document requirements, as well as the slow process of document approvals from the immigration, according to VN Express

Vietnam has set targets for 2022 GDP growth at 6-6.5% and GDP per capita at $3,900 USD, with a focus on COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as economic recovery

The government plans to boost inclusion of Vietnamese food in cultural tourism to help revive the industry. Chairman of the Vietnam Administration of Tourism stated that cultural heritage and cuisine has attracted millions of foreign tourists along with domestic tourists. Local travel agencies are focusing on developing tourism products that bring authentic experiences, including traditional food festivals, cooking classes, and food tours. The Tourism Ministry has also approved a project on building a national brand on cultural tourism, aiming to develop values of cultural heritage and cuisine, as well as improving economic efficiency and tourism competitiveness. Cultural tourism is expected to occupy 20-25% of the total $130 billion USD tourism revenue by 2030

IHG Hotels & Resorts has extended partnership with Sun Hospitality Group to develop 4 more hotels in Vietnam, including Holiday Inn Resort Yoko Park Onsen in Quang Ninh and 3 properties in Ba Na Hills of Danang: Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Resort, and Voco

Health Ministry has asked localities to design plans to combat the pandemic and ordered stronger preventive measures including improving medical capacity, close monitoring for arrivals, speeding up vaccination, strengthening pandemic prevention and control at public places, as well as raising public awareness and encouraging the 5K measures

Phu Quoc seeks to become not only a high-end resort tourism centre, but also a financial hub, and centre of aviation and maritime trade. Phu Quoc has attracted 350 investment projects worth $17 billion USD in early 2022, including many high-class tourism and entertainment area developments. The city also aims to welcome over 4,000 foreign visitors by the end of Jan

HCMC to work on transport projects in the vicinity of Tan Son Nhat Airport, in line with the airport’s Terminal T3 project. The projects include building roads and expanding streets, as well as projects at the city’s gateways, HCMC’s Management Board for Investment and Construction of Transport Projects reported

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam proposes to remove on-arrival rapid testing in favour of valid pre-departure RT-PCR test results. CAAV has also received feedback from airlines including suggestions to ease the testing fee collection and health declaration processes

The government has issued a document on Deputy PM’s orders on adjustments in the vaccine passport trial programme welcoming international tourists, including implementing the programme in a safe and effective manner. The Tourism Ministry has been asked to study, implement, and amend a temporary guide for receiving foreign arrivals in line with COVID-19 regulations

Quang Ninh’s Department of Tourism has drafted a “Green-lane tourism” plan to revive the tourism sector, providing tourists with information on places with safety in regards to the COVID-19 situation. Director of Quang Ninh’s Department of Tourism hopes the plan could offer tourists safe services and offer comfort while experiencing said tourism services, adding that the scheme could be an opportunity for businesses to promote their services and provide safe working environment for their staff

119,800 firms left the market in 2021 due to pandemic impact, up 17.8% YoY. Of those, 55,000 temporarily suspended operations for a definite period, up 18% YoY. 48,100 have stopped operations pending dissolution procedures, up 27.8% YoY, while 16,700 have completed dissolution procedures, down 4.1% YoY. Vietnam also saw a decline of 13.4% YoY in newly-established businesses at 116,800 and a decrease of 2.2% YoY in firms that resumed operation at 43,100

Vietnam’s latest stimulus package for 2022-2023 period, worth $15.25 billion USD, aims to revive the economy by including measures such as reducing bank loan interest rates by 1% and delay loan payments for businesses, as well as a 64 trillion VND tax reduction and 110 trillion VND in assistance for businesses

121 passengers from Phnom Penh arrived at HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat Airport on 1 Jan via a Vietnam Airlines flight. General secretary of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association said that the reopening of regular international flights is timely and necessary, as delay in resuming the flights would result in economic loss and a slower recovery of the aviation sector if compared to foreign countries

Vietnam welcomed 1,753 international arrivals through 17 flights between 1-3 Jan, the first 3 days of regular international flight resumption

HCMC People’s Committee issued a five-step quarantine procedure for arrivals amid the emergence of Omicron in Vietnam. Under the guideline, arrivals must register a “personal QR code”, undergo on-arrival tests, comply with 5K regulations after arriving at the accommodation, monitor and declare health conditions daily, and undergo RT-PCR during the quarantine period. Fully-vaccinated travellers or those who have recovered from COVID-19 must quarantine for 3 days, while unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated travellers must quarantine for 7 days

Hanoi has welcomed 143 passengers from Tokyo, the first international arrivals in 2022. Hanoi’s Department of Tourism also reported that the city served 60,000 passengers, mainly domestic, in the New Year holidays on 1-3 Jan, down 49% YoY

Sa Pa welcomed 17,346 visitors over the New Year holidays on 1-3 Jan, 30% of 2021’s number, according to the Head of the Culture-Information Office of Sa Pa. Tourism revenue reached $2.01 million USD, up $341,281 USD from the Christmas holidays on 24-26 Dec

Vietnam tourism agencies predict a positive outlook on post-COVID tourism. Saigontourist Group is offering up to 50% discounts for stays in 5-star hotels, targeting tourists looking for luxury services. Vietravel has revealed that it will serve 15,000 visitors during the Lunar New Year, with tourists asking about independent tours in addition to guided tours and preferring 3-5 day trips. TST Tourist Media Director has developed new tourism products including an HCMC-Long An trip and a river bus excursion to Thu Duc City

Vietnam welcomed 3,000 international visitors in Dec, a 14.2% increase. Phu Quoc and Khanh Hoa have welcomed 1,500 international visitors since reopening. Vietnam National Administration of Tourism also recorded around 5 million domestic travellers in Dec, doubling MoM, with Khanh Hoa, Da Lat, and Phu Quoc being popular destinations

HCMC to reopen bars, dance clubs, and karaoke parlors from 10 Jan after 8 months of suspension

HCMC and Binh Dinh to welcome foreign tourists under the vaccine passport trial programme from this month, raising the total localities allowed to receive foreign visitors under the programme to 7

Thong Nhat Park to be the only location in Hanoi to set off Tet Fireworks on 1 Feb

Plan to develop Vietnam’s airport system by 2030 is expected to cost up to $17.4 billion USD. Transport ministry aims to increase the airports’ capacity to 276 million per year under the development plan, while current capacity stands at 95 million per year, 66% of the targeted 144 million. Investment in Hanoi and HCMC’s large hubs, such as Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, and Lon Thanh Airports will be given priority through 2030, while work will also be done to upgrade 22 existing airports and invest in 6 new airports, to a total capacity of 283 million passengers per year across the 28 airports. The ministry also plans to add 2 more airports by 2050, totalling 14 international and 17 domestic airports

Agoda reported that HCMC has been named top destination for Vietnamese tourists during the New Year holiday for the second consecutive year. Sa Pa is in second place, followed by Da Lat, Hanoi, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang. Ninh Binh made the list for the first time in 10th place. Agoda data also showed that travellers are looking for new experiences, with many preferring off-beat nature or beach destinations in addition to famous cities. Tourists also opt for staycations in 4-5 star venues for year-end

Nui Sam national tourism site in An Giang to reopen from 1 Jan with “new normal” protocols in place

Free “Going Home” tour at Cuc Phuong National Park, allowing visitors to join staff in releasing rescued animals back to the wild, has received enthusiastic response and is spreading awareness on wildlife protection. The tour has successfully released over 100 wild animals to their natural habitat

National Tourism Year 2022 is expected to revive tourism in its host city, Quang Nam, and promote the city and Vietnam itself. Deputy Minister of Tourism believes the event needs to highlight the host city’s tourism products while improving the locals’ livelihood. The programme will commence on 25 Mar at the Hoi An Impression Theme Park

Hanoi has backtracked on plans to quarantine travellers from countries with Omicron in centralised facilities following Transport Ministry’s statement that removing centralised quarantine is a key factor to facilitate international flight resumption and that Hanoi’s strict requirement could disrupt the plans. The Ministry requested localities to adopt Ministry of Health’s Guidelines without any additional regulations

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam issued a new directive for international arrivals, requiring passengers who have gone through countries that detected Omicron to take rapid COVID-19 tests before boarding and after disembarking. Quick test areas will be set up at international airports and passengers need to bear the testing costs

Hanoi travellers opt for neighbouring destinations and suburban areas for holidays amid complex COVID-19 situation in Hanoi, preferring activities like paragliding at Doi Bu, or staying at Min Phu commune homestays which have been fully booked since a month ago

Hanoi to cancel New Year’s Eve outdoor activities, including countdown events and firework displays. Virtual events and pre-recorded cultural performances will be broadcast instead. Hoan Kiem, a downtown district where cultural events usually take place, will also cancel celebrations and suspend indoor dining

Vietnam reported 2.58% GDP growth in 2021, slowing from the 2.91% growth in 2020. GDP growth in Q4 increased 5.22% YoY, rebounding from the 6.02% contraction in Q3

Vietnam’s plans to revive the tourism sector in 2022 include: • Launching the tourism recovery and development scheme under the 2022-2023 socioeconomic development programme • Completing the 2021-2030 tourism system planning with a 2045 vision and submitting it to the government for approval • Developing smart tourism through digital transformation • Aiming to welcome 65 million tourists, including 5 million foreigners, and earning $17.39 billion USD in revenue

HCMC plans to develop smart tourism in 2021-2025 by improving public digital infrastructure and allowing private sectors to engage in smart tourism solutions and mobilise investment resources. The city also looks to develop technologies integrated with tourism services, build mobile applications, install QR codes that introduce destinations, expand public wifi, build an information and entertainment provision system (City4U), and build a tourism and visitor database, while developing a tourism management system and smart tourism operation centre. Vice Chairwoman of HCMC’s People’s Committee stated that the scheme aims to develop the tourism sector better by eliminating bottlenecks and providing better tourist experience, while connecting data analysis and forecast of tourism demand and trend

Tay Ninh to waive entrance fee for the Ba Den Relic Complex from 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2022 as part of the effort to promote tourism and support visitors and enterprises affected by the pandemic

General Statistics Office reported around 157,300 international arrivals in 2021, down 95.9% YoY due to pandemic impact, with 85% of the total arrivals originating from Asia and 70.6% entering the country by air. Foreign arrivals in Dec alone reached 17,200 visitors, up 14.2% MoM due to pilot programmes welcoming international tourists and resumption of commercial international flights

Tourists from Thailand and South Korea expected to boost tourism in the first phase of international flight resumption, while tourists from far off countries, such as the US and European countries, will be the focus of Q4 2022 and Q1 2023. MInistry of Transport plans to lift or ease quarantine for fully-vaccinated or recovered passengers by that time

HCMC Department of Tourism has asked for the Department of Planning and Investment’s plan to support small and medium-sized businesses until 2025 to include certain policies exclusive for tourism businesses, including providing interest-free and unsecured loans, as well as tax subsidies or waiver for land rent, so the businesses can recover and pay their employees. The Department of Tourism has also been helping businesses devise domestic tourism products for New Year and Tet holidays

Over 700,000 small and micro F&B establishments have suspended operations due to the pandemic, Chairman of Vietnam Culinary Culture Association claimed. Deputy Minister of Tourism revealed that 338 out of over 2,500 outbound tour operators applied for dissolution and 90% of travel firms shut down in 2020, while 35% of travel firms had their business licences revoked in 2021

Several suggestions for tourism recovery has been proposed at the “Vietnam’s Tourism Recovery and Development” seminar, including extending the 30% cut to the value-added tax to 2022 and 2023, delaying the tax payment deadline for the next several years, cutting lending rates and requirements for tourism businesses, reducing land rentals further from the current 30% and extending the reduction to 2022 and 2023. Ministry of Tourism has proposed to focus on implementing the tourism recovery and development programme, a part of the 2022-2023 socioeconomic recovery and development, as well as supporting tourism businesses and workers

Vietnam has detected its first imported Omicron case, a traveller from the UK who arrived in Hanoi on 19 Dec

Hanoi to impose centralised quarantine for those arriving from countries that have reported Omicron cases, regardless of the passengers’ vaccination or COVID-19 recovery status, following HCMC who have been implementing the policy since 14 Dec. Random testing will also be carried out on those who entered Vietnam with travel history to Omicron-infected countries in the last 28 days, those reinfected with COVID-19 after recovery, and those arriving from pandemic hotsports

Hanoi to allow foreign arrivals that have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 to self-isolate for 3 days from 1 Jan. If tested negative on the third day, they are free to leave but need to monitor their health for 11 days and avoid large gatherings or crowded places. Partially vaccinated people need to self-isolate for 7 days and be tested on the third and seventh days. The adjustment was announced following government’s approval to resume international flights between Vietnam and 9 destinations, and just one day after Hanoi decided to quarantine travellers from Omicron-infected countries in centralised facilities

Vietnam has extended temporary residence to foreigners who entered the country after 1 Mar 2020, allowing all pre-approved foreigners and their family including diplomats, officials, experts, business managers, foreign investors, high-tech workers, and other business travelers, to stay in or come to Vietnam. Currently, still no new tourist visas are issued

Transport Ministry has been granted autonomy in regards to international flights reopening, with Deputy PM asking the ministry to cooperate with other ministries, agencies, and localities to decide the resumption of international commercial routes

Transport Ministry has allowed the increase of flight frequency on domestic routes, with flights on Hanoi-HCMC route increasing to 25 round-trip flights per day from 27 Dec to 18 Jan, and increasing further to 52 from 19 Jan to 16 Feb. Flights on HCMC-Da Nang and Hanoi-Da Nang routes will be increased to 20 round-trips per day, with other routes increased by 9 round-trips per day

HCMC Department of Culture and Sports has proposed to the city government to reopen bars, discos, and karaoke parlors as HCMC has controlled the outbreak, has a high vaccination rate, and because most businesses have resumed operations. The department also noted that safety criteria for the reopening of said businesses have also been issued

One Commune One Product (OCOP) programme has helped the commercialisation of local products in Central Vietnam, providing funds for tourism development in the localities

Transport Ministry announced that negative COVID-19 test results are now not required for air travellers from HCMC and Can Tho, with negative results only required for travellers from localities with very high COVID-19 risks or locked-down areas

Southern Vietnam’s tourism sectors are striving to reform and diversify tourism products for the “new normal” as New Year and Tet approach. Many on-the-spot tours and multi-day tours to northwestern and central localities, as well as southwest coastal areas like Phu Quoc and Ha Tien have also been resumed. Saigontourist have developed various tourism products for different markets, ranging from small groups to MICE, and over 12,000 tourists of 14 delegations had signed up for their MICE programmes in Ha Long, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Ben Tre, HCMC, and Phu Quoc in Dec. Director of HCMC Department of Tourism stated that HCMC has over 360 tourist attractions, including Vietnam’s top natural and cultural heritage sites, and that the city is working to develop other types of tourism including culinary tourism, shopping tourism, waterway tourism, eco-tourism and medical tourism. General Director of Vinpearl said successful reopening of Phu Quoc to 200 South Korean tourists in late Nov has instilled confidence in tourism developers and operators in creating new tourism products

226 Russian tourists arrived in Khanh Hoa under the pilot vaccine passport programme, with more expected to come between 26 Dec-23 Mar through 26 flights (2 per week) with 320-340 passengers per flight, operated by Azur Air and Anex Viet Nam, the agency that organises the Russian tours. The tourists will stay between 7-26 days, said the Sales Director of Anex Viet Nam. Meanwhile, 210 tourists from Uzbekistan have also arrived in Phu Quoc United Centre for a 9-day trip. Until the end of Feb, Phu Quoc expects 8 more delegations from the country

Hoi An Lantern Festival to be held from 25 Dec to 15 Feb as part of a series of cultural and art events held to mark the beginning of 2022 post-COVID tourism events. Chairman of the Quang Nam People's Committee has also selected the Hoi An Memories show as a special scene art programme and a venue for the opening of the National Tourism Year 2022 on 25 Mar

Participants of the tourism conference in Nghe An suggested several measures to revive tourism industry including the importance of simplifying procedures for international tourists, digital transformation, fully-vaccinating at least 70% of the population, tax cuts for travel businesses, and implementation of the “vaccine passport” scheme

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly urged Vietnam to keep up with other countries in adopting policies for international border reopening at the tourism conference in Nghe An. He also expressed the importance of assessing COVID-19’s impact, as well as the current status of the tourism industry and its future outlook to propose solutions for tourism revival, adding that the solutions “must focus on improving Vietnam’s tourism competitiveness and bring its potential and advantages into full play to create distinctive, culturally and historically rich products and brands”, while taking into account cultural and environmental conservation along with sustainable tourism development

A Tourism conference was held in Nghe An to discuss COVID-19 impact on tourism, as well as ways to revive and develop the sector. Fourth wave of COVID-19 in Vietnam has caused the number of tourists to drop by almost 30% YoY, and Deputy Minister of Tourism stated that tourism recovery and development programme should be promoted to help the industry, including assisting tourism businesses and workers, issuing new policies facilitating tourism, boosting attraction of investment to nighttime, ecological, leisure, and community-based tourism, digital transformation, and developing tourism personnel in the “new normal” era

5 more Hanoi districts to suspend dine-in and limit gathering from 26 Dec, following increase of the districts’ COVID-19 risk to “high”, to a total 8 out of 12 Hanoi districts now classified as having high COVID-19 risks

Deputy PM said Vietnam’s reopening to international tourists should not be hasty amid concerns about the Omicron variant, and the tourism industry should be renewed and be better prepared to welcome foreign guests. Vice Chairman of Kien Giang Province said that Omicron has had direct consequences to Vietnam’s reopening plan, including the postponement of the Dec tours of South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia tourists to Phu Quoc Island. The island has welcomed 412 foreign tourists across 3 international flights so far, with 10-12 flights from Dubai, South Korea, and Malaysia scheduled in Nov

Quang Ninh aims to welcome 9.53 million visitors in 2022, including 1.43 million international visitors. The province also expects tourism revenue to reach 19,000 billion VND, average tourist expenditure to be 2 million VND, and tourism budget revenue to cross 1,700 billion VND. In 2021, it welcomed 4.38 million tourists which was 97% of the target, and tourism revenue reached 7.745 billion VND, 85% of the target. The number of tourists and tourism revenue in 2021 was only 31% of 2019 numbers

HCMC has launched its first tourism week, “Ho Chi Minh City - The City I Love”, to spread pride among locals and attract both domestic and international tourists to the city. Vice Chairwoman of HCMC’s People’s Committee has requested the city’s tourism authorities to coordinate with other parties and Thu Duc city and districts on developing tourism products

People visiting Vietnam for less than 14 days for diplomatic, official, or business purposes are not required to undergo quarantine, but need to comply to COVID-19 preventive measures, Ministry of Health announced. If they want to extend their stay, current immigration and COVID-19 regulations must be followed

HCMC’s Department of Tourism advised the People’s Committee to propose to the government to allow quarantine-free travel for international tourists with vaccine passports

Vietnam aims to welcome 5 million international tourists under the vaccine passport program and gain $17.5 billion USD tourism revenue in 2022, Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism stated. Initial estimation showed Vietnam has welcomed 40 million domestic tourists in 2021, down 20% YoY and gaining 180 trillion VND in revenue, while 3,500 international tourists has visited on special tour packages since mid-Nov reopening

PM has requested further investigation on Viet A Technologies JSC, which allegedly overcharged COVID-19 test kits and colluded with hospital or testing centre managers to use its test kits

FLC Group has inaugurated a hotel and convention center complex in Vinh Phuc, featuring a 5-star hotel with nearly 200 rooms and a convention centre with ​​2,000 pax capacity, as a part of the FLC Vinh Phuc Convention & Luxury Resort. FLC aims to target local tourism potentials with the complex, and together with many other FLC projects in Vinh Phuc, create more jobs, improve locals’ income, and attract investors to local tourism and service sectors

HCMC to ban firework displays on New Year’s Eve, Deputy Head of the Municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Economic Recovery announced. HCMC People’s Committee had already planned activities like the New Year’s countdown on Nguyen Hue walking street in District 1, and the Deputy Head said depending on the COVID-19 situation, respective administrations could decide whether to scale down or suspend the events

Vietnam reported 16,377 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to over 1.6 million cases since the start of the pandemic. Hanoi reported the highest cases nationwide for the 4th consecutive days with 1,774

Japan is the only country so far that is on board with Vietnam’s plan for resumption of international flights, with 4 flights a week. Participating airlines in this pilot phase will be Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Japan Airlines, and ANA

Ninh Thuan Province has reopened to domestic tourists. From now until the end of Q1 2022, only a small number of tourism businesses that meet safety standards will be allowed to open. In Q2, the province will pilot a programme to welcome international tourists and from Q3, tourism activities will be organised under the “new normal” state

PM has banned large gatherings during New Year and Tet holidays

PM has assigned tasks to ministries ahead of international flight resumption on 1 Jan. Health Ministry has been asked to issue new entry guidelines for travellers on regular international flights. Foreign Ministry was asked to continue negotiations on mutual recognition of “vaccine passports” with other countries, with priority for destinations in the first phase of international flight resumption. Health, Public Security and Information and Communications Ministries were to release the medical declaration software for monitoring and tracing visitors, while the Transport Ministry was asked to work with aviation agencies to grant flight slots for different carriers

Ministry of Tourism plans to reopen sea and land routes for international tourists after the vaccine passport pilot programme on the air route. The ministry reported that foreign tourists’ responses to Vietnam tours have been positive and that they were confident in Vietnam’s pandemic prevention and control measures

Over 8,000 fully-vaccinated tourism workers have been deployed for Quang Ninh’s reopening for international tourists. A temporary set of safety standards for foreign tourists have been issued in Nov, comprising 24 compulsory and 11 recommended criteria

Quang Ninh to welcome first international visitors on 7 Jan, a group of South Korean tourists under the vaccine passport trial programme arriving on a charter flight

As of 6 Dec, over 1,100 international visitors had arrived in Vietnam on charter flights since mid-Nov reopening. 15,000 foreign tourists are expected to visit Vietnam in Dec

New tourism products including night river bus tour in Saigon river, and Vietravel’s mangrove forest crossing stand up paddle tour and forest walking tour in Can Gio district have been launched ahead of New Year and Tet holidays. Deputy General Director of Saigon Tourism Corporation added that his company is continuously developing Can Gio tourism, including upgrading hotels and leisure facilities, developing new products by sea, air, road, rail, or inland waterway, promoting tourist attractions, and strengthening human resources training

HCMC to launch new tourism products for year-end to stimulate demand for New Year and Tet period, including Fiditour-Vietluxtour’s “Saigon Past and Present” tour which will take visitors to museums and historical sites, along with modern landmarks. HCMC will also promote linkage of tourism programmes with Mekong Delta provinces, like Long An and Ben Tre. HCMC travel firms plan to offer customised tours to Long An such as eco-tourism or river tourism weekend getaways

VOV report has shown that during the last 18 months of pandemic, 80% of travel agencies have suspended operations, 50% of hotels have closed, and over 2 million hospitality workers were laid off

Tourism businesses are preparing for international flight resumption on 1 Jan, with Vietnam Airlines cooperating with tourism businesses to promote green tourism in 2022 and localities implementing tourism stimulus programs to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Hanoi has issued safe pandemic adaptation criteria for tourism attractions and is promoting heritage, relic sites, and craft villages tours, as well as helping travel companies to develop package tours

HCMC bus station officials predict ticket sales would drop 30-40% YoY during the Tet holiday. Mien Dong Bus Station estimates 20,000-22,000 daily passengers during 27-29 Jan, while Mien Tay Bus Station estimates 22,000-27,000 during 28-30 Jan

Thai Vietjet to launch 4D3N package tours to Phu Quoc Island for Thai tourists from 30 Dec, with prices starting at 15,800,000 VND. Travellers will receive free COVID-19 travel insurance package for the first month of launching

Cambodia and Vietnam have agreed to accelerate negotiations on passport and vaccination certificate recognition, as well as border trade agreement

Thua Thien-Hue province to open Imperial Citadel night street zone on 31 Dec to boost nighttime economy. It will open on Fri & Sat from 7-11 pm and visitors will be able to watch art performances, experience folk games, see traditional crafts, and taste local cuisine

Da Nang pilots installation of QR code boards on street signs in Son Tra district which will link to tourist information when scanned

Another district in Hanoi, Hai Ba Trung, has stopped dining-in, outdoor exercise and in-person study from 19 Dec after a rise in cases

HCMC’s Can Gio District to focus on welcoming tourists back in 2022 by improving the quality of tourism activities and community tourism products in Thanh An Island commune, establishing a night market, and developing agricultural products which will be advertised through contests and tourism promotion seminars

The Health Ministry has proposed that all non-essential large gatherings be suspended over Tet due to the increase in cases

Hanoi has reported a record number of daily cases, 1,244

Quang Ninh Museum has been awarded the highest rank in the museum system of Vietnam by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism

Quang Ninh to reduce entrance fee to tourist attractions by half in H1 2022, including Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Museum, and Yen Tu Complex of Monuments and Landscape, in order to restart tourism in Quang Ninh and attract visitors. 1.2-1.5 million tourists are expected to visit Ha Long Bay in H1 2022, along with 100,000 for Quang Ninh Museum, and 200,000-250,000 for Yen Tu Complex. The amount of entrance fee reduction in Quang Ninh Province for the past two years is equivalent to nearly $2.1 million USD

Newest scenario by Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) sees international flight resumption implemented in 2 phases, with 9 destinations in the first phase: Beijing/Guangxi, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, and San Francisco/Los Angeles, and an additional 6 destinations in the second phase: Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Paris, Frankfurt), Sydney, and Moscow

The Ministry of Tourism has urged the government to reopen its visa exemption scheme for less than 15 days for selected markets as part of its report on the vaccine passport trial so far. It also proposed that travel firms can bring tourists to Vietnam on scheduled, rather than charter, flights. It is seeking Binh Dinh province to be added to the second phase of the vaccine passport program. It suggested that overseas Vietnamese be permitted to use the vaccine passport trial, too for Tet

Dak Lak Province and Animals Asia Foundation has signed an MoU on the conversion of elephant-friendly tourism model, aiming to end elephant-riding tourism and other activities that affect the elephants’ welfare, as well as contributing to elephant conservation

Vietnam added 34,059 local COVID-19 cases to the national database, comprising 15,627 new cases from 60 localities, and 18,792 cases from previous days in Tay Ninh. Infections in the fourth COVID-19 wave totals to 1,486,875 cases

Rapid test service at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport will be suspended from 16 Dec, due to the decrease in passengers needing the rapid test service as most have been vaccinated

Ministry of Health proposes to let fully vaccinated foreign arrivals to shorten self-quarantine period to 3 days from 1 Jan 2022, with the RT-PCR test conducted on the first and third day

Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, and Thua Thien Hue plan to stop covering medical fees for COVID-19 patients who refused vaccination without any contraindications

Hanoi reported a new daily high for the second time in a week with 1,024 cases

Yen Duc village has seen a significant decrease in visitors during the pandemic, as foreign tourists accounted for 70% of the village’s 20,000 visitors per year pre-pandemic. The community-based tourism model in the village has created jobs for over 50 villagers in tourism sector, with many having to return to farming work during the pandemic to make ends meet

Ha Noi authorities have no plans to impose large-scale lockdown despite a spike in COVID-19 cases, given that the situation is still under control and the vaccination rate is high. Instead, the city is focusing on improving healthcare capacity to deal with outbreaks

Only 6,900 train tickets (20% of total seats available) have been sold for the Tet period (20 Jan-13 Feb 2022). Hanoi station has sold 300, a fifth of usual numbers, while Saigon station has sold 6,300 tickets, 3% of last year’s number. One of the railway employees believes quarantine restrictions and frequently changing regulations are the reason behind slow sales, and also because workers in the Southern area and students haven’t returned to the major cities and are already in their hometowns. Vietnam Railways has been offering promotions, not hiking fares, discounting early and group bookings, reducing prices for return tickets, as well as running a promotion for booking whole coaches which will continue until 28 Feb, with discounts for travel beyond 300 km and free meals

Asian Development Bank has revised Vietnam’s 2021 GDP growth estimate, now expected to fall to 2.0% from the previous forecast of 3.8% due to Q3 economic contractions, before expanding 6.5% in 2022

Deputy PMs have encouraged overseas Vietnamese to return home for the Tet holiday, urgently cooperating with Ministry of Transport, the aviation sector, and supporting ministries to prepare entry procedures and the reopening of international air routes

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has launched a special page on Vietnam’s Tourism Website promoting the “Live Fully in Vietnam” campaign. The page contains information on Vietnam’s tourism and recommendations related to culture, cuisine, health, and beach resorts

Hanoi’s Dong Da District has issued temporary ban on dine-in services, face-to-face learning, culture, sport and entertainment events, gatherings of over 20 people in a room, and gatherings of over 10 people in public spaces following a spike of cases

Lao Cai’s medicinal plants fields have attracted more tourists, which has helped economic development and poverty reduction in the ethnic minority-inhabited areas. Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that 4,000ha of land in Bac Ha, Sa Pa, and Bat Xat districts will be focused for growing medicinal plants during 2021-2025, with the areas also turned into community-based and eco-tourism sites

Conference promoting tourism cooperation between HCMC and 8 cities and provinces in the Northwest region was held on 11 Dec. The cooperation involves sharing experiences in building and developing tourism and plans of welcoming tourism services. Director of HCMC’s Department of Tourism shared at the event that HCMC has been focusing on digital transformation that is in line with safety and flexible adaptation during the pandemic, with the department launching tourism resources on Google Map, Google Earth, and a renewed website introducing the HCMC Tourism Day 2021

The Deputy PM has agreed to resuming international commercial flights from 1 Jan 2022 to Beijing, Guangzhou, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Singapore, Vientiane, Phnom Penh and San Francisco/ Los Angeles . The Health Ministry and Ministry of Information and Communications have been told to come out with a medical declaration software for air passengers, and the Foreign Ministry has been told to reach an agreement with other countries for vaccine passport recognition

Vietnam is expected to add 36 million people to its middle class by 2030 according to a McKinsey report

Vietnam Festival 2021 held in Tokyo on 11-12 Dec aims to promote Vietnamese cuisine and culture to Japanese people

Vietnam named as Asia’s Best River Cruise Destination at 2021 World Cruise Awards

Danang has welcomed its first group of 500 MICE travellers as part of a national surgery and endoscopy hybrid conference

Vinpearl Resort & Spa Phu Quoc has rearranged its staff into zones and separated international guests’ living spaces to ensure community safety. Foreign tourists are still able to go sightseeing, enjoy entertainment, dine, and shop at selected venues as a part of the vaccine passport itinerary

IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched the Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay Resort

Netin Travel Company has started piloting eco-tourism services at Khe Nuoc Tron Nature Reserve in Quang Binh Province, including trekking in the primeval forest and rappelling down the Duong Cam Waterfall. Authorities hope the addition of adventure tourism will bring more tourists to the province post-pandemic

Night river buses on route No.1 in HCMC, connecting Bach Dang and Linh Dong, have started operations and will run at 7-8 pm daily with tickets priced at 15,000 VND

HCMC’s is seeking government’s approval to pilot a program welcoming international tourists with vaccine passports, with an expected start date of 21 Dec

Hong Kong has banned Cathay Pacific flights from HCMC until 23 Dec after 3 passengers from flight CX764 tested positive for COVID-19

Cross Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement with Tan Thanh Trading & Tourism JSC to develop 2 new hotels in Vung Tau set to open in Q4 2022

Vietnam recorded 15,300 new cases, highest daily number since Sep

Kien Giang welcomed 300,000 visitors in Nov, a 10-fold increase MoM. 290,000 of them, including 1,400 foreign visitors, travelled to Phu Quoc. Tourist arrivals to Da Lat city have also increased, especially on weekends, with outdoor tourist attractions and open space cafes attracting up to thousands of people daily

Travellers entering Vietnam who are fully-vaccinated and tested negative for COVID-19 can self-quarantine at home instead of in government facilities. Deputy PM stated that the decision came with consideration of the many Vietnamese looking to return for the upcoming Tet holiday

Quang Ninh has released safety guidelines ahead of welcoming the first group of foreign tourists in Jan 2022. The province plans to prioritise promising markets like China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. Director of Vietfood Travel Hanoi said that the firm plans to fly international tourists to Quang Ninh on direct charter flights and from there, tourists can join package tours of up to 7-days to Ha Long city and Ha Long Bay

Vietnam has added 6 countries; Canada, Iran, Iraq, Maldives, South Africa and Zimbabwe, to the vaccine passport acceptance list, which now includes 78 countries and territories. Vietnam’s vaccine passport has now been recognised by Australia, in addition to the US, the UK, Japan, and Belarus. Other countries like members of ASEAN and EU, China, and South Korea are still waiting for Vietnam to release a consistent vaccine passport model, while Canada has agreed in principle

UNDP and the Mekong Development Research Institute (MDRI) survey has shown that: • 84-89% of respondents rated government’s efforts of handling the pandemic as “good” or “very good”, but the numbers dropped to 70-74% in areas with severe outbreaks like HCMC, Binh Duong, Long An, and Dong Nai • 93% of respondents agreed with strict social distancing restrictions, but the rate is lower at 86% in the 4 hotspots • 83% of respondents said saving lives was more important than economic revival. The rates were 71% among poor people, 77% in the 4 hotspots, and 78% in areas with at least 4-months lockdown

Vung Tau province has allowed hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourist spots, museums, movie theatres, and religious sites in low and medium COVID-19 risk areas to reopen. Non-essential services like karaoke parlors, dance clubs, and pubs are allowed to fully operate in low-risk areas, and operate at limited capacity in medium and high-risk areas

HCMC plans to reopen to foreign tourists during year-end holiday season, sooner than expected, as vaccination rates have reached the requisite for restoring tourism with first-shot coverage almost reaching 100% and second-shot coverage at over 90%

Deputy Chair of the Vietnam Tourism Association stated that Vietnam’s tourism entered a new state following the release of Resolution 128 which addressed the need for Vietnam to “live together with COVID”. He noted that it is important for restrictions and safety policies, as well as administrative procedures to be consistent and stable across all localities for a long period, which would allow enterprises to design their business plans

Fleets of 500 ships and 245 member companies are facing financial difficulties amid the pandemic, with ship owners resorting to borrowing money from usurers to cover ship maintenance and protection fees of at least 200 million VND a month

Tourism businesses in Vietnam still find it difficult to resume operations despite many policies launched to support the industry. Many find difficulty in accessing support packages due to complicated administrative procedures, even though they are eligible. Additionally, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to design additional support for tourism businesses and workers including an extension of the tax and fee remission period and loosening eligibility requirements to receive the support. VNAT has also proposed excursion fee exemption at tourist attractions, as well as a 50% Personal Income Tax reduction for transportation, accommodations, eatery services, and tourist agents and a preferential interest rate of 3% for 30 unsecured month-month loans

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corporation (SABECO) will cooperate in organising long-term activities and development of platforms for promoting Vietnam’s tourism and culture

13.4 million passengers travelled by air in the first 10 months of 2021, 22.5% of 2019 levels. There were 2.1 million passengers between May and mid-Nov during the 4th wave of infections, 5.8% of 2019 levels

Ministry of Transport has proposed resuming regular international flights to the government, following a meeting with Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines. The airlines have asked for the lifting of quarantine rules for fully vaccinated travellers or those who have recovered from COVID-19, and have been tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to departure. Ministry of Health will draft the guidelines on relaxing the quarantine rules, which is expected to be released soon. Ministry of Foreign Affairs is promoting the mutual recognition of vaccine passports to partners, while Ministry of Public Security is developing an app (IGOVN) to integrate with immigration management

Hanoi districts to suspend or restrict non-essential services including F&B establishments and events with large gatherings based on COVID-19 risk level in their communes and wards. The districts are also asked to set up support groups to monitor COVID-19 patients treated at home

HCMC to reopen school for 1st, 9th, and 12th grade students as part of a two-week pilot program starting Dec 13, while 5-year-old kindergarteners can go back to school on 20 Dec. Schools are expected to reopen fully for all-level students on 3 Jan

Cruise ship owners are troubled as there are no passengers during the pandemic, yet they have to pay at least 200 million VND per month for mooring fees. Sai Gon Port authorities have offered a 50% reduction, but owners said the fees are still a burden

Lux Group, which specialised in 5-star yachts, have received increased booking requests since beginning of Nov. CEO of Lux Group said that self-contained tourism can boost yacht businesses as “the door-to-door transfer process and closed experience on the yacht help ensure safety and reduce contact”

Institute for Tourism Development Research reported that demand for staycations have been increasing, with many looking for luxury options. Traveloka and iVIVU.com record significant increase in hotel bookings since measures were relaxed on 1 Oct

Vietnam sees 2.5 million domestic tourists in Nov, 3 times higher compared to the 750,000 in Oct: • Visitors to Lao Cai quadrupled to 55,450 with tourism revenue reaching $10.4 million USD. Visitors were mostly from Hanoi • Visitors to Hanoi increased 60-fold to 300,000 with tourism revenue reaching 844 billion VND. Hanoi’s camping sites have been crowded over the past weeks with luxury resorts full on weekends • Visitors to Khanh Hoa doubled to 28,500 • Visitors to Phu Quoc Island increased 14-fold to nearly 300,000

300,000 domestic tourists visited Hanoi in Nov, down 57% YoY with the revenue down 51% to nearly $40 million USD. Around 3.2 million people have visited Hanoi in the first 11 months of 2021, down 60% YoY

HCMC sees rise in COVID-19 deaths, reaching 60-70 daily in the past week

Dong Giang Heaven Gate eco-tour site under the FGV Group, the Hoi An Memories, Tan Thanh fishing village, Thien Minh Group, Silk Group, and Phu Ninh Lake eco-tour have agreed to collaborate in rebuilding the tourism industry by offering combined tour programmes introducing their culture and nature-based key products to domestic and international tourists visiting Quang Nam

Five accommodations in Danang have been approved to admit foreign tourists under the vaccine passport trial program: Vinpearl Condotel Riverfront Danang, Vinpearl Resort and Spa, Vinpearl Luxury Resort, Risemount Resort Danang, and Muong Thanh Luxury Da Nang Hotel. Three tourist attractions, Sun World Ba Na Hills, Marble Mountains and Cham Sculpture Museum are also approved while 7 travel companies are awaiting approval to provide tour services. Danang aims to welcome over 11,000 visitors in Dec

New rules from Health Ministry states: • “Low-risk group” COVID-19 patients (under age 49, fully vaccinated, and have no underlying diseases) can isolate at home. They will be taken care of by mobile task forces and provided with medicine • "Medium-risk group" (aged 50-64, fully vaccinated, and no chronic diseases, and those aged 3 months-49 that have yet to be fully vaccinated) should be admitted to district-level Covid-19 quarantine facilities if they show symptoms of fever, coughing, a sore throat and breathing difficulties. In case facilities are full, they could be isolated at home with strict monitoring from local health authorities • "High-risk group" (over age 65 and fully vaccinated, people with chronic diseases and fully vaccinated, those aged 50-64 that suffer no chronic disease but have yet to be fully vaccinated, pregnant women, women that have just given birth, and babies under 3 months) must be treated at hospitals equipped with medical oxygen systems and anti-inflammatory drugs for respiratory failure • "Very-high risk group" (over 65 with chronic diseases or yet to be fully vaccinated) must be admitted to hospitals designated for severe patients with easy access to ICU

978 foreign tourists have visited Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa and Kien Giang since mid-Nov reopening

Vietnam recorded 14,508 new cases, including 2 imported cases

HCMC Travel Fair to be held online on the websites of the fair, the department at www.visithcmc.vn, e-commerce site Shopee, and Traveloka app from 4-25 Dec, featuring over 100 travel and tourism businesses and tourism sectors from 27 localities offering discounted domestic travel products

Tourism stakeholders highlight the importance of local media for the tourism sector during the pandemic. The media has been essential for domestic tourism, including providing information on safety measures, promoting tourism products, and providing up-to-date information on domestic tourism. Editor-in-Chief of Nguoi Lam Bao newspaper stated: “Media should be involved in the process to develop tourism, prevent and fight the pandemic, through which promote economic activities in the new context”

Open forum to find solutions for Vietnam’s tourism sustainable recovery was held in Hanoi and virtually connected to 26 localities on 30 Nov. Participants reported COVID-19 impact on tourism, support policies for tourism workers, and proposed solutions such as building new tourism products in the new normal

Vietnam recorded 13,966 new cases, the highest daily numbers since 1 Oct reopening. HCMC recorded the most cases at 1,497, followed by Can Tho with 981, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau with 860

Minister of Transport has approved the increase of the max number of flights on the Hanoi-Danang, Hanoi-HCMC, and Danang-HCMC routes to 16 return trips per day from 1-14 Dec, to be increased to 20 from 15 Dec. Other routes will operate at 9 flights per day. The increase is expected to meet demands during New Year and Tet holidays

Binh Dinh aims to be the sixth destination in Vietnam that is open to international tourists and might welcome foreign tourists on package tours by Jan 2022, which will be supported by Bamboo Airways. Director of Binh Dinh’s Department of Tourism stated that they will continue “to research and focus on the East Asian, Southeast Asian, and US market” and will prioritise “safety and flexibly adapting according to the Government’s policy” when welcoming international guests. Binh Dinh aims to welcome 80,000-100,000 domestic visitors in 2022 with expectations to welcome over 100,000 international visitors in the second half of 2022. The province only received 77,000 visitors in 2021 compared to around 200,000 annually before the pandemic

Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has approved Health Ministry’s proposal to suspend flights to and from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Mozambique, as well as halting the issuing of visas for said countries

HCMC named Asia’s leading destination for MICE at the annual World MICE Awards, while Sheraton Grand Danang resort won Asia’s Best Incentive Hotel and Vietnam Airlines won Asia’s Best MICE Airline

Vietnam welcomed over 15,000 foreign tourists in Nov, up 42.4% MoM. Foreign tourist arrivals totaled 140,100 in the first 11 months of 2021, down 96.3% YoY. Visitors mostly arrive by air at 68.9%, down 96.9% YoY; followed by road at 30.7%, down 92.9%; and by sea at 0.4%, down 99.7%

Hanoi recorded 429 new COVID-19 cases, its highest number of daily cases since the pandemic started

Around 100 have booked a 5D3N tour package for Phu Quoc Island offered by a Korean travel agency

Cambodia and Vietnam have agreed to encourage the resumption of transport between the two countries, relaunch Vietnam Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air flights, and promote self-driving tourism

Finance Ministry seeks government approval to lower jet fuel tax by 50% for 2022, compared with current 30% cut, in order to revive the airline industry which suffered $705.78 million USD loss in 2020. Jet fuel tax will be at $0.0662 USD per litre after the cut

Stricter safety measures has been imposed in several regions including: • Urgent document issued by Thua Thien-Hue Provincial Party Committee requiring its localities to address negligence in controlling the pandemic, and to recognise units and individuals who excel in their job • Tam Ky City in Quang Nam Province has shut down bars, pubs, karaoke venues, beauty parlours, cinemas, gyms, internet and gaming cafés, and in-person classes for 14 days • HCMC has proposed six major strategies including: increasing vaccination rate, enhancing capacity in monitoring, forecasting and handling outbreaks, at-home treatment for COVID-19 patient, promoting 5K measures, and strengthening and improving the capacity of the healthcare system

Mekong Delta region sees spike in COVID-19 cases with approx 4,000 cases per day, causing overload in field hospitals

12,450 new cases have been recorded, the highest daily figure in over two and a half months. HCMC topped the list with 1,582 new cases

Vietnam may reopen international routes in early Dec, with 15 countries on the proposed list: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, France, Germany, Russia, Australia and the United Kingdom. Travellers must be fully vaccinated or ​​possess a certificate of recovery from COVID-19, tested negative 72 hours before arrival, and self-quarantine for 7 days upon arrival. Government will consider adding other countries allowed to enter Vietnam in Q2 2022

Long An to focus on eco-tourism and to invest in new technologies to create competitive tourism products. Three major tourist attractions in the Dong Thap Muoi region: Lang Sen Wetland Reserve, Tan Lap Floating Village Eco-Tourism Area, and Dong Thap Muoi Centre for Research, Conservation, and Development for Medicinal Herbs will be the main focus of the tourism development project to 2030. In Jan-Sep 2021, Long An had welcomed 270,000 local visitors, down 43% YoY, with tourism revenue at around $6.2 million USD, down 50% YoY. 350,000 more local visitors expected to visit by the end of the year, with revenue estimated at 180 billion VND, down 58% YoY. Long An Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has recommended policies that would support travel firms such as rent reduction or exemption, lower value-added taxes on tourism activities, environmental taxes reduction for travel firms and lower taxes for tourism business households in 2021

System of relics in Thua Thien-Hue comprising 4 sites commemorating President Ho Chi Minh was recognized as a special national relic site. The province aims to "promote the value of President Ho Chi Minh's relic in Thua Thien - Hue for tourism development”

Deputy Chairman of the Kien Giang People’s Committee believes Phu Quoc could welcome up to 400,000 foreign and domestic visitors by year-end

First international tourists under the vaccine passport pilot programme have arrived in Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Phu Quoc. Visitors from the US, France, the UK, Germany, and South Korea underwent a 7-day tour in Quang Nam, while 204 tourists from South Korea stayed 4 days at an exclusive facility in Phu Quoc. This “ice-breaking” move is expected to show the government’s pandemic prevention and control, and to become learning opportunities for other destinations in welcoming international guests in the future

Golf tourism seen as an advantage for Vietnam’s tourism industry post-pandemic, with Vietnam named World’s and Asia’s Best Golf Destination at the 2021 World Golf Award

39,126 new cases has been detected in Vietnam, with 28,000 of them coming from Binh Duong quarantine zones

Khanh Hoa to welcome 9,351 foreign visitors from South Korea, Russia, the Philippines, Japan, and Cambodia through 48 flights by 31 Dec. Khanh Hoa’s second phase to receive foreign tourists scheduled for Jan-Mar ‘22

Highway connected to Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway, linking Hanoi and Sa Pa, set to open to traffic in the first half of 2022

The Private Sector Development Committee has proposed a loan program for 2022-2023 for hotels, airlines and tourism companies, as well as tax waivers

Tourism companies and booking platforms see a rise in demand following the reopening of 5 destinations in Vietnam, with booking platform iVIVu seeing increase in sales to 10% of pre-pandemic levels. However, demands predicted to be low in the next 3-6 months due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in Singapore, the U.S., Russia, and several European countries

HCMC People’s Committee has proposed welcoming foreign tourists starting Dec. If approved by the PM, closed package tour programs by qualified international travel agencies will be allowed in Dec. Travellers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days and less than 12 months prior to departure or recovered from COVID-19, tested negative max 72 hours before departure, and own health or tourism insurance cards. HCMC expected to fully reopen to international tourism market in Apr ‘22, with authorities proposing to reopen flight routes between HCMC and San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, and Frankfurt

19 out of 20 localities with highest COVID-19 cases are in Southern Vietnam (the other being Hanoi). Surge of cases have caused Southern Vietnam provinces to tighten COVID-19 restrictions: • Tay Ninh recorded 3,774 new cases between 14-21 Nov. Non-essential services like bars, dance clubs, Internet cafes, karaoke and massage parlors suspended starting 22 Nov. F&B establishments can host up to 20 people at a time, alcohol sale is prohibited, and social distancing must be kept. Sports, exercises, weddings, funerals and religious activities can be held with up to only 20 people, unless approved by local authorities. • Lam Dong recorded 518 new cases between 14-21 Nov. Rising cases mostly due to people returning from areas with COVID outbreaks. Lam Dong People's Committee requires its officials and workers to be tested every three days and those returning from COVID-hit areas to test negative within 72 hours starting 21 Nov. • Binh Thuan recorded 3,482 new cases between 14-21 Nov. Non-essential services suspended and only takeaway food is allowed. Residents urged to stay home between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., cannot travel to or from areas with very high risk, and can only go to the market with approval papers from authorities. • Bac Lieu recorded 2,389 new cases between 14-21 Nov. Activities and events with over 10 people either indoors or outdoors suspended except for offices, medical facilities and COVID-19 testing locations. Residents banned from going out between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. Government employees are not allowed to leave the province without approval, and cannot attend social events except for weddings and funerals confined within the family. Restaurants can operate between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m but can only provide takeaways. Local authorities plan to provide food stamps or other methods to enable residents to go shopping. Non-essential services are suspended. COVID-19 checkpoints erected in areas with "complicated" coronavirus situations. • Vinh Long recorded around 300 new cases between 12-21 Nov, mostly in hospitals. Restaurants can only provide takeaways, and entertainment activities are suspended

Hanoi is seeing a “staggeringly high” rate of virus transmission from close contacts, twice that recorded at the end of Oct

Restaurants in HCMC permitted to open until 10 pm on a trial phase until the end of Nov, with establishments in low and medium risk areas allowed to serve alcoholic drinks

HCMC administration ordered bars, discos, spas, massage parlors, and karaoke shops to close until further notice, barely two days after the Chairman signed a decision allowing said services to resume operation

Two river bus routes connecting District 7 with downtown District 1 have been proposed for HCMC to help revive the economy following the fourth COVID-19 wave. A private company will invest and operate the routes for five years, with expenses nearing $11.5 million USD

Vietnam Airlines has been voted one of the Vietnam Best Brands in YouGov’s 2021 rankings, coming in at 2nd place

Vietnam Airlines’ pilot flight with international tourists from Seoul to Danang arrived on 17 Nov. They will stay for 7 days in Quang Nam province, and will stay at the Hoiana Complex Resort. Quang Nam is scheduled to receive 100 international visitors on 18 Nov and 200 more on 25 Nov

Agritourism development to be included in the 2021-2025 National Target Programme on new-style rural area building, with 365 destinations in Vietnam deemed to have high potential for tourism development. Agritourism is expected to create jobs, improve income for rural people, and help speed up rural economic structure shifting, whilst preserving traditional culture values and protecting the environment

Vietnam’s daily cases have returned to their highest level for 8 weeks on Tue, with 10,250

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) launched “Live Fully in Vietnam”, a campaign aimed at international tourists

Kien Giang travel firm is partnering with a South Korean firm and proposes to bring 5,000 South Koreans to Phu Quoc island via charter flights from 20 Nov to 31 Mar ‘22 under the two-phase vaccine passport trial program. Tourists will depart from Incheon Airport and stay at least 3 nights in Phu Quoc

The northern province of Ninh Binh began welcoming local visitors on 15 Nov, though tourism sites remained quiet on the first day. The province will step up promotion and organise online tours to attract more visitors. Director of the provincial Department of Tourism stated that the opening will be done step by step, starting with local holiday-makers. Based on the situation, reopening will continue with visitors from other localities who take package tours, followed by tourists from outside Ninh Binh

The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre launched a programme offering tours to ‘green’ (safe) zones, welcoming local holiday-makers and visitors from other localities from 15 Nov to the end of 2021

12 more Hanoi hotels assigned as quarantine facilities, in addition to the 23 previously appointed hotels

Hai Duong province has begun the self-monitoring at home program for people with close contacts to COVID-19 patients. The houses of those quarantined under this program must have at least two rooms, with at least one separated from the family’s common living area

Decision signed by HCMC Chairman stated: • "Non-essential" businesses, including bars, cinemas, night clubs, spas, massage parlors, and karaoke parlors, can fully reopen in low-risk areas of HCMC, operate at half capacity in medium-risk areas, at 25% capacity in high-risk areas, and cannot resume operations in very high risk areas. All staff, customers and participants must be fully vaccinated with two doses or have recovered from Covid-19 within six months. • Bike ride-hailing services can operate at half capacity. • Street vendors can work in low-risk areas. Those working in medium-risk areas have to be fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19. They cannot work in high-risk areas

Agoda research has shown that: • 60% of Vietnamese respondents expect travel to resume in the next six months. • 52% of respondents aged 45-54 were optimistic about restriction-free travel within Asia compared to 38% among people aged 25-34. • 54% of respondents over age 55 were optimistic about global restriction-free travel, followed by people aged 45-54 at 45%. • 11% expected international visitors to be allowed to travel to Vietnam only after two years, though the government has announced that it would begin welcoming international visitors to certain destinations in Nov. • 27% believed full border reopening is likely by the end of 2021. • 20% expected border reopening to happen around Jun ‘22, while 19% expected it to be around Mar-Apr ‘22. • 20% did not expect inbound travel to resume fully until 80% of Vietnamese are vaccinated. • Hanoi respondents expect international visitation to be 7-11 months away • 20% of HCMC respondents expect international visitation to be 4-6 months away, while another 20% expect 7-11 month

Khanh Hoa Province declared COVID-19 risk as medium. Bars, dance clubs, karaoke and massage parlors to resume operations and entertainment businesses allowed to operate at half capacity. Conferences, seminars, cultural and art events, festivals, weddings, and religious activities allowed with up to 100 people at a time

2 charter flights to Hoi An will arrive on 17 and 18 Nov, with over 400 Americans. They will land at Chu Lai Airport, and stay at Hoiana Major Integrated Resort in Duy Xuyen District for 7 days. They will be permitted to visit Hoi An, My Son Sanctuary and some other attractions

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has said that Vietnamese airlines will operate 26 flights in Nov to transport international tourists to Kien Giang, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa. Vietnam Airlines will operate one flight on 17 Nov to Danang, Vietjet Air 250 pax from South Korea to Phu Quoc on 20 Nov, who will stay at the Vinpearl Resort & Spa Phu Quoc for a 3-day package. 24 other flights will operate to these three locations, with tourists from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand

2 charter flights to Nha Trang are the first to transport tourists into Vietnam since the borders closed. 429 arrived on 11 Nov from Seoul and Tokyo, and will stay at the Vinpearl Resort & Spa Long Beach

Hoi An will reopen its tourism activities from 15 Nov

Ba Ria-Vung Tau will develop 17 ecotourism routes from 2021-2030 under a new tourism development project at Con Dao National Park

Danang Tourism Promotion Centre has launched a virtual tours platform, “A virtual vacation in Danang”. In 2021’s Phase 1, it features the Marble Mountains, Da Nang beach, Son Tra Peninsula, Han River and Sun World Ba Na Hills. Phase 2 will see more destinations being added

An online survey by VNExpress has shown that 96% of tourism companies have suspended operations, with 85% seeing revenue drop by at least 50%, and 54% unsure of how long the situation will last. Their main challenges are paying salaries, bank loans, rents, utilities and insurance

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has reported that 9,294 tour guides have received total cash assistance of $1.5 million USD as of end Oct, and received applications from 10,762 tour guides. Those areas with large numbers of tour guides receiving assistance include Danang, Hanoi and HCMC

HCMC and Cuu Long have signed a tourism promotion agreement

Booking.com research has shown that: • 82% of Vietnamese travellers feel more hopeful about travelling again when it is safe • 29% are planning a solo trip • 87% of Vietnamese respondents said that local food is a decision factor for choosing a destination • 63% are seeking more rural, off the beaten path experiences

Kien Giang has reported that the number of domestic visitors to Phu Quoc has increased, with around 2,000 air passengers per day arriving, and 400 travelling by water

The Ministry of Transport has proposed a 3-stage resumption plan for international flights: 1. Phase 1 (Q1 2022) – Vietnamese nationals and international travellers from 15 territories can enter Vietnam without special permissions: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, France, Germany, Russia, UK and Australia They would need to enter with a package which combined flights and quarantine fees, or under the pilot program for international travellers. There would be 4 flights weekly, with around 12,000 pax per week. Fully vaccinated pax would need to undergo a 7-day quarantine, unvaccinated 14 days. 2. Phase 2 (Q2 2022) – pax with vaccine passports could skip quarantine, and airlines would be permitted to restart routes according to demand, with 7 return flights per week per airline. Those with vaccine passports would need to self-isolate at home for 3-7 days 3. Phase 3 (Q3 2022) – regular commercial flights could be restarted

HCMC may reopen schools from 10 Dec

The Vietnam Railway Corporation will start selling its train tickets for the Tet period from 20 Jan-13 Feb from 15 Nov

The hospitality sector has seen -3.18% growth in Q3 2021. Vietnam’s overall unemployment rate in Q3 2021 was 3.98% vs Q3 2020’s 2.73%

HCMC has restarted its waterway tours to Can Gio district

The Deputy Minister of Tourism has signed a decision for guidelines on permitting international visitors. They will not be permitted to leave their group during the trip, and their tour must last at least 7 days. After 7 days, they will need to register with travel agents who will aid them in making further arrangements to extend their stay, and take an RT-PCR test if they wish to travel to other destinations. They must also have travel insurance worth at least $50,000 USD

17 hotels and 7 entertainment centres will join the “COVID-19 Vaccination Passport” scheme in Phu Quoc

HCMC wants to welcome international vaccinated tourists without quarantine from Dec, with a 3-phase plan, earlier than previously proposed: 1. Dec: tourists must book a tour package with approved travel agencies, and arrive by flight or cruise ship, staying in designated hotels and resorts 2. Jan onwards: tourists can visit Kien Giang, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Quang Ninh after 7 days in HCMC 3. TBA: city to fully reopen to international tourists

Indonesia is looking at establishing Vaccine Travel Lanes with 6 ASEAN countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore

Danang will launch two campaigns, Danang Now Open and Enjoy Danang, to boost its tourism recovery

Hanoi’s first metro line will open on Sat, from Cat Linh- Ha Dong. The government hopes the metro will ease traffic congestion

After the first 7 days of staying in designated sports, including Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Danang and Quang Ninh, international tourists will be permitted to visit other areas of Vietnam under the pilot reopening plan

Some resorts in north Vietnam, like Melia Ba Vi Mountain Retreat, Avana Retreat, Mai Chau Hideaway, Serena Resort Kim Boi, and FLC Ha Long, have reported being fully booked over weekends. Vietravel has also reopened over 30 offices after their closure, and is planning to launch tours from HCMC to Phan Thiet, Nha Trang and Da Lat in Nov

Hanoi’s F&B businesses have been told that they must close by 9pm, whilst gyms will be permitted to reopen

1,759 tourists registered to visit Da Lat City from 30 Oct-1 Nov, with tourists mainly coming from Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau. 2,400 vehicles arrived into Lam Dong Province on 29 Oct, 1.5X vs previous days

Only 90 tourism businesses in Quang Nam province, 10% of the total, have survived the pandemic, with 14,000 tourism workers made redundant, and losses of $652 million USD. From Jan-Sep, it hosted only 26,000 tourists, 4.5% of 2019 levels

The Ministry of Transport has proposed to upgrade railway links between Vietnam and China in a $95.95 million USD project

Vietravel expects recovery in aviation and tourism to be slow in Q4 2021, due to different vaccination rates across the country. It sees demand increasing at the end of Dec and Q1 2022, and it expects, together with Vietravel Airlines, to restore its products and routes in Jun 2022, stating that the demand for overseas travel is “large”, but a reopening would be “cautious”

Tourism stakeholders are finding it difficult to revive domestic tours, with differing locality regulations for travel, as well as the different levels of vaccination. They urge the government to prioritise tourism workers in the vaccine rollout

HCMC and Ben Tre are planning to cooperate in tourism, with Ben Tre planning to reopen for domestic tourism on 15 Nov

Hanoitourist have said that they have reduced tour prices for Hanoi, to stimulate demand. Hanoi is planning to reopen tourism with green tourist sites, encourage homestays and leisure tourism in Ba Vi, Son Tay and Son Soc, and allow caravan tours in “green” places

Thua Thien-Hue province’s tourism department is planning to launch a “Hue Green Tourism” initiative for domestic tourists, which will be under a travel bubble approach. Tourists will mostly visit outdoor attractions, and will only have close contact with the other members of the tour group. Tourists must be fully vaccinated or have an RT-PCR test

Vietravel has said that it plans to operate 1-2 charter flights per month with 200-400 pax to Phu Quoc by year-end. It would increase to 3-5 flights in 2022, with around 1,000 pax per month. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has said that all Phu Quoc residents above 18 years old have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and it is accelerating the rollout

Quang Nam authorities are proposing to allow international visitors to visit Hoi An and My Son in Nov under a 3-phase plan. Phase 1 would see tourists in Nov permitted to visit Hoi An Town, My Son sanctuary, VinWonders Nam Hoi An and Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An and stay at 3 5* resorts. They would need to book a package tour with a designated agency and be fully vaccinated. Phase 2 from Jan 2022 would expand to more resorts and tourist destinations, and Phase 3 would see a full reopening

The PM has asked the Ministry of Transport to prepare a plan for the resumption of international commercial flights

An outdoor event, Hạ Long Bay – The World Natural Wonder Destination, will be held in Halong City, to kickstart Quang Ninh’s tourism recovery and stimulus program. It plans to organise 50 events until the year-end. The province is also developing a masterplan for 2022 tourism

Kien Giang will start to receive domestic tourists from low-medium risk areas in Nov under a pilot. The second phase in Dec, will allow visitors from other provinces, including Hanoi, to visit

The Ministry of Tourism has proposed that the current 7-day quarantine for fully vaccinated international travellers should be removed

Vietnam and the UK have agreed to recognise one another’s vaccine passports

In-person dining has reopened in HCMC from 28 Oct, but can only operate at 50%, and must close by 9pm

Danang tourism businesses welcome the plan to reopen to visitors in Nov, but are concerned about the lack of manpower, and say that training for tourism workers is needed

HCMC has been assessed by the government as being risk level 2 (yellow), medium risk, and will therefore allow production, trade and transportation, so long as they have safety measures in place, with limited numbers of people

Phu Quoc International Airport has been awarded the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) by the Airports Council International (ACI) for its COVID measures. It is now the 5th airport in Vietnam to hold the certificate. The Airport is expected to achieve 99.8% of its staff to be vaccinated, whilst the island will complete its vaccination of the population by 28 Oct

Binh Dinh province will seek permission to allow international vaccinated travellers entry, targeting travellers from Northeast Asia, Russia, US, and Europe. It would look at reopening Quy Nhon, Phuong Mai Peninsula, Nhon Chau island commune, and Cat Tien Town

85.7% of businesses surveyed in HCMC were impacted by COVID-19 in Q3 2021. Of 251,000 workers surveyed, 48.18% had seen their working hours reduced, whilst 32.2% had lost their jobs

Vietnam will build 9 new railways by 2030, after the government approved a plan for railway development from 2021-2030

Anex Vietnam travel agency has reported that it expects to welcome 6,000 Russian tourists to Khanh Hoa per month during the first 3 months of its pilot reopening, and 12,000 per month after that. Nhat Minh Tourism JSC has also confirmed that thousands of Russians have booked tours to Khanh Hoa, and they plan to organise 6 weekly charter flights to Cam Ranh from early Dec

The Ho Citadel in Thanh Hoa will see a $32.7 million USD restoration program over the next 4 years, until 2025

The ADB forecasts that Vietnam’s GDP will grow 6.7% in 2021, and 7% in 2022

Kien Giang province have issued the plan to reopen Phu Quoc to international travellers from 20 Nov. From 20 Nov, charter flights will operate to allow the authorities to test the reopening. From 20 Dec – 20 Mar under Phase 1, Phu Quoc will welcome 3,000-5,000 tourists monthly via charter flights, with private tours. Phase 2, from 20 Mar 2022-2- Jun 2022, will see it scale up to 5,000-10,000 visitors monthly. Travellers will need to be fully vaccinated, as well as have a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours. Children under 18 will be permitted to travel with fully vaccinated parents. They must travel on a package tour, with a health insurance policy. Phu Quoc must reach a 90% fully vaccinated population to open

The Ministry of Transport will allow more domestic flights to operate from 21 Oct until 14 Nov, including 6 flights each way between Hanoi–HCMC, Hanoi–Da Nang, and Da Nang–HCMC. From 15-30 Nov, 7 flights each way daily will be permitted

The Deputy PM has stated that tourism should be restarted in a safe manner. The Tourism Ministry has proposed a plan to reopen international tourism in 3 stages: 1. November 2021: reopening Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh, Quang Nam province and Danang city to international travellers on package tours and arriving on charter or commercial flights 2. January 2022: welcoming more international travellers and connecting to more flight destinations 3. Q2 2022: fully reopening international tourism

Vietnam has temporarily approved the recognition of vaccination passports of 72 counties, and is in discussion with 80 countries

The PM expects Vietnam’s 2022 GDP to expand 6-6.5%

HCMC has announced its tourism recovery plan. Phase 1 will last until 31 Oct, and will pilot allowing domestic tourists from other localities to the city. Accommodation and tourist attractions would operate at 50%. Phase 2, from 1 Nov-31 Dec, would see intra-regional and interprovincial tourism activities, and expand capacity to 70% for accommodation, as well as allow on site dining and spas. Phase 3 would see a full reopening in 2022

Ba Ria-Ving Tau reopened 4 resorts under a pilot scheme to welcome domestic tourists

Binh Tuan province has permitted tourism activities to resume from 24 Oct

The SEA Games will be delayed to mid-May, in another postponement

HCMC is looking to expand its “travel bubble” tours, where all visitors have green cards and the destinations are green zones, to boost its tourism recovery. It will apply this model until the year-end

Danang plans to open domestic tourism from 20 Oct, and from 20 Nov, it will open a travel bubble with Quang Nam and Quang Ninh provinces

HCMC will issue 100,000 tourism vouchers for frontline workers, and has signed agreements with tourism associations and destinations to cooperate in creating local tours in Oct and interprovincial tours in Nov

Up to 95% of Hanoi’s tourism businesses have closed or suspended operations, with 11,600 workers furloughed or terminated and 1,550 accommodation businesses stopped. The Hanoi Travel Agents’ Association has said that domestic tourism has to be focus for tourism businesses, developing sandbox travel programs

Quang Binh reopened to domestic tourists on 15 Oct

Travel companies in HCMC have restarted to sell tours once more. TST Tourist have noted that many travellers are interested in tours once more, particularly to Phu Quoc, Ha Long, Yen Tu and Cat Ba

Binh Thuan province will focus on developing its nighttime economy, now that the government has approved the project until 2030 in Phan Thiet, Mui Ne and La Gi town

Quang Ninh province plans to hold 50 events to encourage travel demand until the year-end, with 1.9-2 million visitors in Q4 2021

Hanoi has permitted the reopening of in-person dining on 14 Oct

Danang has proposed that the city be able to welcome fully vaccinated international travellers from Nov 2021 under 2 proposals. The first is those arriving on commercial flights for official and business purposes, and would undergo a 7-day quarantine on arrival. The second is to allow visitors from selected destinations on package tours, likely from Russia or South Korea. The Danang Department of Tourism estimates that South Korean travel companies want to bring 200 tourists per week to Danang, whilst Russian ones would target 2,000-4,000

Rail services between Hanoi-HCMC and Hanoi- Hai Phong will restart as part of a pilot reopening scheme from 13-20 Oct

The Tet holiday in 2022 will likely be a 9-day break, from 29 Jan-6 Feb. The National Day holiday will also be extended to 2 days

5 local universities have signed an MoU with Marriott Hotels to provide hospitality training

Vietnam’s GDP in Q3 2021 dropped by 6.17% YoY, the biggest drop since 2000. However, its Q1-Q3 2021 GDP grew by 1.42% YoY

Agoda’s Welcome Back to Travel survey has shown that: • 60% of Vietnamese are optimistic that tourism will take off again in the next 6 months • 2 of 5 expect restriction free travel in Asia, 38% international travel without restrictions in the next 6 months • Almost half did not expect inbound tourism to restart in at least 12 months, or until 80% of Vietnamese are vaccinated

UNESCO heritage approval will soon be sought for the Cuu Dinh in Thua Thien-Hue province

The government has said that it plans to reopen key tourist destinations from Dec, including Halong Bay, Hoi An, Dalat and Nha Trang from Dec, and it is targeting a full resumption in Jun 2022

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has said that developing medical tourism in Vietnam will allow the country to diversify its offerings and increase tourist spend. In 2018, 350,000 international tourists came to Vietnam for medical treatments, generating $2 billion USD, whilst 40,000 Vietnamese travel overseas for healthcare. The Thua Thien Hue Department of Tourism will look at developing policies to develop it further

September 2021 revenue from accommodation and catering services generated 279.4 trillion VND, -22.14% YoY, whilst revenue from tourism generated 4.63 trillion VND, -64% YoY

Bac Giang province reopened its tourism sites and the Yen Dung golf course on 4 Oct to domestic travellers. Tourists must be fully vaccinated, and have a negative test prior to arrival. Bac Giang is developing 18 community based tourism projects from 2020-2025, with a target of welcoming 1 million tourists and generating $19.57 million USD by 2025, of which 10,000 international travellers

Vietnam has asked the UNWTO for assistance to restore and develop its tourism in a sustainable way

The Vietnam Tourism Association (VTA) has launched a national domestic tourism recovery program, together with 25 tourism associations from across the country. It will focus on green zone concepts, the idea of safe spaces which tourists can visit

Vietnam’s Jan-Sep international visitors dropped -97% YoY to just 114,500. Q3 2021 saw 26,300 visitors, -40.3% YoY

Tourist sites in Thua Thien-hue, including the Hue Imperial Citadel, Tu Duc and Khai Dinh mausoleums, will reopen their outdoor areas to visitors on 1 Oct. A 50% discount for entry will be applied

The reopening date for Phu Quoc has been postponed to late Nov

Danang will reopen its markets, hotels and public transport from 30 Sep. Seminars will also be able to take place with 20 pax, whilst hotels can reopen at 30% room capacity or 50% for fully vaccinated visitors

Binh Thuan province is looking at reopening Mui Ne on 20 Oct for domestic tourism. More than 80% of its tourism facilities have been closed since Feb 2020

The Transport Ministry plans to resume domestic flights and train services starting from Oct in certain areas. There will be 4 phases, and all passengers and crew will need to be fully vaccinated: 1. Airlines permitted to reopen routes with a frequency not exceeding 50% of the first 10 days in Apr, with social distancing on board (duration 10 days) 2. Airlines permitted to reopen routes with a frequency not exceeding 70% of the first 10 days in Apr (duration 10 days) 3. Airlines permitted to reopen routes with a frequency the same level as the first 10 days in Apr 4. Airlines resume normal activities

The UNDP released a report showing that up to 88% of households in Vietnam have suffered due to the pandemic, with those in tourism, service and manufacturing the worst impacted

The Binh Dinh province has approved a project worth 25 billion VND to renovate Banh It towers, to create a popular tourist attraction

Hotel occupancy at Hanoi’s hotels with 3* and above in H1 2021 has dropped to 25% and $72 USD per night vs 2020’s 74% and $113 USD per night. Danang saw occupancy levels fall to 11% in H1 2021 and $49 USD per night. HCMC’S Q2 2021 hotel occupancy increased to 18% and $69 USD per night, put down to the conversion of many hotels to quarantine centres, which increased their occupancy to 78%

Hanoi’s tourism businesses and craft villages have been told to develop trademarks for local souvenirs. The government believes that souvenir development could encourage tourists to spend more and stay longer

HCMC will trial a new scheme for reopening economic activities in Cu Chi, with levels 1-4. Levels 1 and 2 will be high-risk areas, whilst levels 3 and 4 will be the “new normal”. Level 1 will follow “stay where you are”, with a curfew from 6am-6pm. Level 2 will allow some businesses to reopen, people with COVID-19 green cards to participate in economic and social activities and go to the market once per week. Level 3 will allow interdistrict travel, but non-essential businesses will remain closed. Level 4 will see people allowed to gather both indoors and outdoors, with cultural and business activities resuming. From 15 Sep, Cu Chi is applying levels 1 and 2, and this will be re-evaluated after 30 Sep

The Ninh Binh province’s Hoa Lu Tourism Promotion Information Centre attracted over 10,000 viewers to a live stream tour of Hoa Lu. It will run tours every Sunday until the year-end

The Vice Chairman of Kien Giang has said that the plan to reopen Phu Quoc in November is still valid, and that the process of welcoming international visitors from the airport to the hotels will be rehearsed from 1-11 Nov, before an official opening. The pilot scheme will only be open to tourists on package tours booked by travel agents. 7 businesses in Phu Quoc, 14 4 and 5* hotels with 8,000 rooms will be dedicated to the scheme, all with fully vaccinated staff

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) is hoping to quickly resume operations for the tourism industry. They will focus on the domestic market, and then the international market when conditions permit, and will focus on 6 key tasks. It will use the "Vietnamese people travel in Vietnam" and “Vietnam tourism - a safe and attractive destination” campaigns

Van Dong International Airport received its 4th flight trialling the vaccine passport with a 7-day quarantine, this time from France

Quang Ninh is targeting 1.9-2 million tourists in Q4, with tourism revenue of $175.6-197.5 million USD

The Chairman of Kien Giang province has said that Phu Quoc would not be ready to welcome fully vaccinated international travellers by the end of Oct, as only 6.13% of the island’s residents are fully vaccinated. Even if the island had sufficient vaccine doses, it would still take 2 months to reach the 90% target. The director of Kien Giang’s tourism department has said that there will be a rehearsal of the procedures in Oct

Quang Ninh and the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Vietnam had a meeting to discuss post-pandemic cooperation. The TAT Vietnam also explained the concept of the Phuket Sandbox, and Quang Ninh suggested information sharing between the two regions

Phu Quc has detected a cluster of community infections, the first since the pandemic hit Vietnam

Quang Ninh has reopened intra-provincial tourism for vaccinated residents, with tourist sites, hotels and cruise ships permitted to open. All tourism staff must have been vaccinated with at least one dose, and be tested regularly. Quang Ninh plan to allow tourists from outside the province, from northern provinces which have not had any community transmission for 14 consecutive days, from Nov. All visitors must be fully vaccinated and have a negative RT-PCR test within 48 hours. From Jan-Sep this year, its tourists have been just 2.6 million, -56% YoY, and tourism revenue at just VND 5.04 trillion, -60% YoY ``

HCMC residents will be permitted to travel if they are fully vaccinated. Tourism businesses will be permitted to reopen in low-risk areas if they meet 10 criteria, including frontliner tourism workers need to be fully vaccinated and tested every 3 days. Outdoor tourist attractions will be able to operate at 30% capacity

Hanoi will allow some non-essential businesses to reopen, including shopping centres and hair salons from 21 Sep. Meetings and events are permitted with a maximum of 20 in one room. The city requested that the Ministry of Transport continue to suspend all domestic commercial flights arriving into Noi Bai International Airport, as well as train services

International business chambers in Vietnam have warned the government that Vietnam is losing opportunities to grow investment and economy if it delays reopening the economy

HCMC transmission has dropped from a reproduction number of 5 to 1.03 in 3 months

The Department of Health om HCMC has suggested that those with at least one vaccine dose can receive the COVID green card, as well as those who have recovered from COVID-19

Ha Long Town has allowed outdoor activities once more, as well as lifted its swimming ban after going for more than 3 months without any community transmission

Hanoi is promoting creative space initiatives, as part of its membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Vietnam has recorded its lowest case numbers in a month, at 8,681

Hanoi will remove the colour coding for the city from 21 Sep, with lockdowns on a smaller scale, as cases have fallen

Khanh Hoa province from early Dec, is looking at allowing fully vaccinated international travellers to isolated beach resorts on Long Beach in Cam Ranh

Khanh Hoa province is looking to reopen domestic tourism for its own residents on 15 Oct. In Phase 1, only tourists with at least one dose of vaccine and a negative RT-PCR test would be permitted, and tourism businesses in green zones would be permitted to reopen, so long as all their staff are fully vaccinated. If the COVID situation improves, visitors from outside the province would be permitted

The Sun Group are optimistic of a revival of tourism after the approval of the Phu Quoc pilot plan, allowing vaccinated international travellers. It also urged the government to speed up vaccinations in popular tourist areas, as it was key to reopening tourists. Vietravel also expects to take advantage of the international markets, operating international charter flights

Oxalis Adventure, the only private company permitted to conduct tours of the Son Doong caves, has reported that 60% of the total permitted visitors for the caves in 2022 have already registered

The Lux Group has said that the biggest challenge facing the tourism industry currently is capital and human resources, as travel firms have run out of cash flow. He urged the government for intervention via loan packages at low interest rates and tax cuts. It is estimated that 95% of travel companies have closed down

A webinar on coffee tourism was jointly held by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and the Embassy of Colombia in Vietnam, as a new segment in Vietnamese tourism

Residents of high risk or very high risk areas must undergo testing for COVID-19 three times per week, whilst residents of other areas should be tested every 5-7 days

HCMC has said that it has almost completed giving the first dose of vaccine to its residents, and that mass testing has shown that positivity has declined from 3.6% to 2.7%

HCMC food businesses have said that the restrictions are too tough to be able to reopen, despite being permitted to do so

Residents in green zones of HCMC will be permitted to go walking and exercise in public places

Vietnam’s Nui Chua and Kon Ha Nung have received UNESCO recognition as biospheres

Saigontourist are organising a tour to explore Can Gio for frontline workers, as part of Can Gio’s phased tourism reopening plan

Hanoi has permitted restaurants and drinks outlets to reopen their delivery services from 16 Sep in 19 districts which have had no community transmission since 6 Sep

Danang has lifted more COVID restrictions, with people in “yellow zones” permitted to go grocery shopping every 5 days, and more economic activities allowed to open. “Green zones” will see people permitted to go shopping three times per week, as well as do public exercise

The Vietnamese government has said that if COVID-19 can be under control, GDP in 2021 could grow 3.5-4%, lower than the initial target

Many Vietnamese residents are worried by the pilot scheme of vaccination passes, due to inaccuracies on the COVID-19 vaccine portal and delays from the municipal Health Department to update them

HCMC will pilot COVID-19 green cards in districts 7, Can Gio and Cu Chi. From 20 Sep, the 3 districts will permit essential shops to trade and street businesses from 6am-6pm

Phu Quoc will reopen in Nov, according to a government website

HCMC will extend its Directive 16 until 30 Sep, but will ease the lockdown in those districts where the pandemic is under control, such as Districts 5, 7, 11, Can Gio, Cu Chi, Nha Be and Phu Nhuan. HCMC will focus on accelerating the vaccine rollout

Hanoi is planning to ease its social distancing requirements after 15 and 21 Sep, zoning the city into different areas with different measures. Once the city has finished testing the whole population and seen a decrease in cases, it will propose only imposing lockdown measures on high-risk areas

Ba Ria-Ving Tau will permit 4 resorts and tourist areas in green zones to reopen to fully vaccinated domestic travellers from 15 Sep: the Grand Ho Tram Strip tourism complex, Melia Ho Tram beach resort and Binh Chau Hot Spring Resort in Xuyen Moc District, and Six Senses Con Dao beach resort in Con Dao District. Tourists must be transported to and from their cities by the resort vehicles, and guests will be tested for COVID on day 1, 6 and 13. Visitors must stay in the resorts

HCMC is seeking approval to shorten the interval between the 1st and 2nd AstraZeneca dose to 6 weeks from its usual 8-12 weeks

Phu Quoc’s pilot scheme is expected to welcome 3,000-5,000 international pax per month on charter flights, and in its second phase could see 5,000-10,000 pax per month arrive on commercial flights

HCMC has unveiled a 3-phase plan for reopening from 15 Sep. There will be two groups of people: fully vaccinated and those who have recovered from COVID in the last 6 months, who will be given green passes, and those who have received one dose, who will receive yellow passes: • From 16 Sep-31 Oct, businesses whose employees have green passes can open, and green pass holders can move freely, whilst yellow pass holders will need to have a negative test to be able to participate in certain activities. Karaoke, cinemas, bars, restaurants, shopping malls and amusement venues will remain closed • From 1 Nov-15 Jan, shopping malls, outdoor entertainment venues and restaurants with less than 20 diners will be opened to green pass holders • From 16 Jan, all businesses can reopen, but bars and night clubs will be restricted to green pass holders only

HCMC now has a death rate of 4.95%, markedly higher than the Southeast Asian average

The Deputy PM has said that high vaccination rate of over 80% of the adult population, steady drug supply and behaviour changes are key to gradually reopen HCMC

The PM has asked the Health Ministry to finalise its COVID-endemic strategy, so that the country can return to “new normalcy” in 2022

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is concerned that Phu Quoc’s level of vaccination is currently at 35% of adults, and it requires another 250,000-300,000 vaccine doses to reach sufficient coverage

HCMC has allowed supermarkets, food stores, and restaurant takeout deliveries. Workers at these businesses must be vaccinated with at least one dose, and be tested with a rapid antigen test every 2 days

The PM has urged places under social distancing to finish testing all of their residents by 15 Sep, with those in very high and high risk areas to be tested every 2-3 days, and those in low risk areas to be tested at least once

The Foreign Ministry has confirmed that Vietnam is looking at running a tourism pilot program for international fully vaccinated travellers, as well as deploying vaccine passports and adjusting the regulations for international travellers to enter the country to more favourable ones

Lam Dong province reopened its tourist attractions and accommodation for intraprovincial travellers from 7 Sep. Hoi An also permitted its restaurants and coffee shops to reopen on 6 Sep

The ASIA Food and Beverage Summit 2021, which will promote Vietnamese tourism and cuisine will be held in HCMC from 10-11 Nov

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has stated that whilst Phu Quoc will be opened initially to international vaccinated visitors, it will be expanded to other places including Halong, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Da Lat. The Phu Quoc pilot scheme expects 2-3 million tourists by year-end. Tourists will need to be either fully vaccinated with a validity of 12 months, or have a certificate of recovery. They would need to be tested with an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure, and should book with a registered travel agency. The Ministry will choose the international markets during the pilot, which should be safe and have quality COVID control, including regions such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the United States, the Middle East and Australia

HCMC is looking at introducing a “vaccine green pass”, which would allow a greater economic reopening after 15 Sep. Those who have received at least one dose would have less restrictions

HCMC has extended its strict stay-home orders until 15 Sep. However, green zones will be permitted to pilot reopening takeaway services. If the situation has improved after 15 Sep, more activities will be opened in safe areas

Dong Nai province will apply a new “vaccine citizens” policy, which would only permit fully vaccinated residents to work and be on the streets

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has been tasked with the implementation of reopening Phu Quoc to international vaccinated travellers and working with Kien Giang province

Coastal tourism areas near HCMC are now becoming more attractive to developers, who are looking for areas which are accessible within 2-4 hours of the city. CBRE Vietnam have said that areas such as La Gi and Mui Ne in Binh Thuan province, and Ho Tram in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, are set to lead the real estate market in the next 5 years

The first flight to arrive benefiting from the 7-day quarantine pilot program arrived on 4 Sep from Japan to Van Don International Airport in Quang Ninh province

Danang will apply less strict social distancing rules from 5 Sep, zooming areas red, yellow and green. Red zones will be locked down for 14 days, yellow zones will be allowed to buy goods within their residential areas, whilst green zones residents will be allowed to go to the supermarket once evert 5 days at traditional markets, and do outdoor exercise in limited hours

Google Destinations Insight data has shown that the volume of domestic searches has dropped to low levels, with top destinations searched including Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Da Nang, and Nha Trang

Hanoi will continue its strict social distancing after 6 Sep. It will introduce a zoning system, with red, high-risk zones continuing restrictions under Directive 16, and orange and green zones needing to follow at least Directive 15 rules, which include the banning of social events, gatherings of more than 20 people

Hanoi will have 10 districts classified as red zones

HCMC is considering reopening the economy from 15 Sep, to move towards living with COVID-19. A draft of the plan, seen by Reuters, would see a phased reopening

The Vietnam PM has admitted that Vietnam will need to see COVID-19 as endemic, saying that the country “cannot stay in isolation and lockdown forever because the difficulty it places on the society and economy is huge”. He added that “we have to know that this war is still a long one and we will have to live with the pandemic for a long time. We cannot control it completely and we must adapt and have suitable ways to respond to the situation"

HCMC has said that it will continue to support people who have lost their jobs or had their earnings impacted, even after the outbreak is controlled

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has created a digital vaccine certificate system which will be piloted for international arrivals. It is integrated into the ‘Du Lịch Việt Nam An Toàn’ (Travel Safe in Vietnam) app

Vietnam’s Jan-Aug international arrivals fell -97.2% YoY to just 105,000

A survey by VNExpress has shown that 62% of its respondents have said they have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, with 50% unemployed from 1-3 months

Schools in HCMC will open virtually on 1 Sep for the new academic year

Tourism revenue from Jan-Aug dropped 61.8% YoY to 4.5 trillion VND. HCMC saw drops of 52.2%, whilst Hanoi 50.3% and Quang Ninh -28.4% YoY. Aug 2021 visitors increased by 24.4% MoM to 9,300. Domestic tourism dropped by 5.5% to 31.2 million, with tourism revenue falling to 136,520 billion VND, -36.5% YoY

HCMC authorities have said that the transmission rate in the city is controllable, and it will focus on testing, vaccination and treatment to bring the outbreak under control

Hanoi has given financial aid worth $33.05 million USD to 2.34 million disadvantaged households so far

Binh Duong, Long An, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh have extended their social distancing orders until mid-Sep

14,224 cases were recorded on 30 Aug, the highest number yet (27 Aug’s 17,409 included late reported cases)

The General Statistics Office (GSO) has reported that 80,000 businesses have closed down as of 30 Jul

The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum has launched a new 3D virtual tour in Vietnamese and English

The Mekong Delta’s tourism businesses have seen a drop in visitors. Dong Thap saw 600,000 visitors in Q1 2021, -27.4% YoY, generating $4.38 million USD

Vietnam reported 17,409 cases, a new record, on 27 Aug

Vietnam plans to add 18 new railway routes by 2050, with a total of 1,528km of track

The Embassy of Spain in Vietnam has launched cultural events aimed at Vietnamese people, who can take part from home

Hanoi saw 2.92 million domestic visitors from Jan-Jul 2021, -43.1% YoY, with a revenue of 8.17 trillion VND, -63.6%. In Aug, it saw no domestic tourists

The Health Ministry has reported that the infection rate in HCMC has slightly dropped

Hanoi has approved the building of a Vietnam Museum of Nature in Quoc Oai district

Quang Ninh province sees the main problem facing the tourism industry is not attracting visitors, but how to maintain travel companies and products. It has been encouraging investment into services and experiences aimed at high-end tourists, including projects such as the Yoko Onsen Quang Hanh hot spring resort, and the Sun Marina yacht terminal project

Hanoi has made it mandatory for those living in locked down areas to be tested for COVID-19, otherwise they will need to stay at quarantine camps

The World Bank has adjusted its 2021 GDP forecast for Vietnam to 4.8%, a drop of vs its Dec 2020 forecast of 6.8

Special task forces have been created in HCMC to do grocery shopping for locked down residents

The government expects an additional 50,000 cases in Binh Duong province over the next 2 weeks

An Agoda survey has shown that: • 60% of Vietnamese travellers believe that domestic tourism will return to normal in the next 6 months • 40% believe that restriction-free travel in Asia will restart in the next 6 months • 38% believe that all international destinations will reopen to tourists by year-end • 57% of travellers would have at least one vaccine dose before making future trips • Over a third want travel agents to provide flexible cancellation and change policies • 48% don’t expect inbound tourism to reopen in Vietnam in the next 12 months, or until 80% of Vietnamese are vaccinated

Vietnam is offering patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to stay on at hospitals to assist medical frontliners, in exchange for a monthly allowance. The program is called “patient zero with patient zero”

Danang will continue some restrictions from 26 Aug-5 Sep and eased others, including allowing shopping centres and supermarkets to operate with 100% of their workers in risk and high risk areas, provided the workers are tested and vaccinated

Danang City tourism promotion centre released a survey of 3,000 people living in Danang, which showed that: • 87% hope to engage in local tourism if the pandemic is under control later in the year • 6.7% said they would not travel due to the pandemic, and a lack of funds • 62% would travel with family and friend groups • 48% preferred to travel by personal motorbike • 58% would book a 4* hotel, villa or resort for a short family vacation • 51% would choose tour services between 500,000-2 million VND • 25% would choose tour services between 2-5 million VND • Half of the respondents would book tours with local agents to support them • The Da Nang Mikazuki Japanese Spa and Resort, and the Yen Retreat in Hoa Bac Commune were an option for 72% of those surveyed, the Ba Na Hills, Than Tai mountain hot spring and Son Tra nature reserve for 30%

Danang City tourism promotion centre have signed agreements to develop the Japanese market, as well as with neighbouring localities for when flights resume. The tourism association stated that technology was not a strength for the local tourism industry, and e-tourism should be promoted more. Its smart tourism project, VR360, had been included in Danang’s smart city masterplan 2030-2045. It reported that Q1 2021 saw just 600,000 visitors, -60% YoY, and at least 1,600 tourism businesses (82.6%) have closed, with 3,800 workers made redundant

Danang’s tourism association only expects those with vaccine passports, foreign experts and the possible resumption of domestic tourists to boost its tourism in Q4

HCMC will develop a roadmap to slowly allow it to reopen the economy. Its target of controlling the outbreak by 15 Sep does not mean that the fight will be over by then, the new Chairman of HCMC has stated

The Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) has urged the State Bank of Vietnam to support domestic airlines, including rescheduling debt payments, exemption and reduction of interest rates and fees and expanding loans eligible for restructuring purposes. It foresees that businesses may still need 3-6 months once the pandemic subsides to boost their business once more. They stated that airline revenue has been down 80-90% since the latest wave in Apr hit

IHG Hotels and Resorts will develop a flagship property, the Holiday Inn Resort in Halong Bay, set to open in 2023

Thua Thien-Hue Province has given out $81,600 USD to 503 tour guides who have been made redundant

Vietnam has deployed the military to HCMC to help enforce the strict lockdown

The PM has ordered mass testing for all of HCMC’s residents during its 2-week stay-home orders

Thanh Hoa province will organise 6 new festivals in the hope of them becoming major tourist attractions

HCMC has approved a financial aid package of $113 million USD to help poor households and informal workers

Vietnam reported a record high of 11,231 cases on 21 Aug

Panic buying was triggered in HCMC after the announcement of its stricter lockdown from 23 Aug

Hanoi has extended its Social Distancing Directive 16 until 6 Sep, making it the longest lockdown enforced yet on the capital city. It is building more quarantine facilities

HCMC will enforce a stricter lockdown from 23 Aug, which will require people to “stay where they are”, with people not permitted to leave their homes. The city will need to classify its communes into 3 levels: green, red and yellow, and isolate and reduce the number of red and yellow zones. The army will be mobilised to ensure that people have access to essential items and food

HCMC has recorded more community cases via its testing program. The city has warned the public to expect more community cases in the coming days

Vietnam and Belarus have discussed collaborating together for tourism to boost each other’s numbers

Vietnam reported record highs of cases on 19 Aug, of 10,657

A hotel market report by Savills Vietnam saw half of the respondents forecast that Phu Quoc would see the earliest tourism recovery in 2022, followed by Hoi An. 78% believed that 4* hotels would recover faster than 5* hotels

Vietnam reported record highs of cases on 18 Aug, of 10,654

The Ministry of Transport has cancelled the general aviation business licence of Globaltrans Air Service JSC

The number of sales transactions for condotels, villas, townhouses and shops in coastal tourism cities in Jul declined 89% MoM, according to DKRA Vietnam

Vietnam’s 5 year tourism development plan aims for Vietnam to be ranked in the top 50 for tourism competitiveness by 2025 – in 2019, it was ranked 63. It will focus on using digital technology to transform it into a spearhead industry, with a national database system and digital information system at tourist sites. It will prioritise developing quality tourism workers and provide post-pandemic support to businesses

Ha Long Bay has been nominated for Asia’s leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards

Hanoi has started to collect 1 million test samples from residents as part of its 2nd phase of mass testing from 18-20 Aug

Hanoi is drafting an agritourism development plan for 2021-2025, hoping to boost the sector’s growth and change outskirt areas

Ly Son Island has seen 170 hotels, motels and homestays badly impacted by the 4th wave

1.3 million workers have seen their contracts suspended or stopped working due to the latest wave of cases, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has reported

More businesses will be permitted to reopen in HCMC under its extended Directive 16, including private clinics and airplane ticket offices. However, restrictions from 6pm-6am still apply

Phase 1 clinical trials started for the mRNA vaccine, ARCT-154

Ha Giang will run a virtual program from 4-6 Sep to promote the Hoang Su Phi rice terraces. It will include photos and videos featuring the landscape and traditional festivals held

Hanoi’s academic year will start on 1 Sep at the earliest

HCMC will extend its Social Distancing Directive 16 for another month, until 15 Sep. It will have 2 phases of controlling the pandemic – from 15-31 Aug, the city will try to reduce the death rate and expand green zones, whilst from 1-15 Sep, it will try to cut the number of deaths by 20% and have less than 2,000 new cases per day, as well as over 70% of the population be vaccinated with at least one dose, 15% fully vaccinated

Kien Giang is drafting a tourism recovery plan which includes reopening Phu Quoc to international visitors from Oct

HCMC is seeing medical personnel from other cities being deployed to it to assist with the current situation

Danang will prevent people from leaving their houses at all for one week from 16 Aug. During the period, mass testing would be performed to detect cases. Nha Trang implemented similar measures from 14 Aug for one week

Vietnam recorded its highest daily cases of 9,710 on 14 Aug. Ben Tre, Long An, Tien Giang and Tra Vinh provinces and the south central Phu Yen Province will all extend their Social Distancing Directive 16 orders for at least another week

Ba Ria-Vung Tau will extend its lockdown measures until 25 Aug under Directive 16. Binh Dinh will extend its lockdown measures under Directive 15 until 25 Aug

HCMC plans to reopen schools from mid-Sep

HCMC has a 2 phase plan to intensify its fight against COVID. Phase 1, from 15-30 Aug, will see green zones and red zones being defined across the city. The second phase will run from 1-9 Sep

HCMC will extend its Social Distancing Directive 16 measures until the end Aug

A report by Savills Vietnam has shown that 8 more hotels started to offer paid quarantine facility services in Q2 in HCMC. 72 hotels in HCMC are offering the city, with 5,564 rooms

HCMC may see cases surge if not enough people are vaccinated before social distancing ends, experts have said

Only 19 of 63 localities in Vietnam have issued plans to start the new academic year, with some returning in Aug/ Sep for the 2021-2022 school year

Hanoi is conducting mass testing, collecting 3.3 million samples by 25 Aug. It will test every resident in high-risk areas such as markets and factories, and one family member in low-risk neighbourhoods

The US has now listed Vietnam as “high-risk” Level 3 for COVID-19, and warned unvaccinated travellers to limit non-essential travel to Vietnam

Belgium, Czech Republic and Malta have all put Vietnam on their travel red list, requiring arrivals to undergo quarantine on arrival

The Da Nang Museum, Da Nang Cham Sculpture Museum and the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum have all digitised their exhibitions to allow them to continue despite the pandemic, with exhibitions opening virtually

Google Destination Insights data has shown that online searches between 1 May-2 Aug fell 50-88% YoY, whilst the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported that domestic tourists reached 9 million in Apr, 3.5 million in May and just 500,000 in July

People who are fully vaccinated or are recovered and coming from outbreak regions will not need to enter centralised quarantines, but can self-isolate at home for 7 days. Those who are not fully vaccinated will have to self-isolate at home for 14 days, and then monitor their health for 14 days

A record 9,690 cases were reported on 8 Aug

A real estate portal, batdongsan.com.vn, has seen the number of hotels being put up for sale increase over recent months after the fourth wave hit. Prices have dropped around 20-25% vs 2019. The Nha Trang Tourism Association has said that 95% of hotels have closed down. Savills Hotels Asia Pacific have also seen an increase in the number of adverts for hotels for sale, particularly 3 and 4* hotels

Vietnam Film Festival will be postponed from Sep to Nov

Pandemic-free zones have been established in HCMC for those areas with no cases. These areas require locals to provide proof of residence, and have strict entry measures including disinfection

Hanoi will extend its social distancing order until 22 Aug, another 15 days

Khanh Hoa province started social distancing under Directive 16 from 6 Aug, whilst Phu Yen have extended their Directive 16 for another 10 days until 15 Aug

Students could return to school for the new academic year from 1 Sep

The Ministry of Transport has agreed in principle to renovating and building tourist steam trains on the Hue-Danang railway route

Hong Kong Travel Industry Council are interested in establishing a travel bubble pilot with Phu Quoc

The WHO has said that Vietnams is "on the right track" with its current measures to prevent COVID-19, despite the “many difficulties”

HCMC has approved a financial aid package worth $39.4 million USD, which will support informal workers, poor families and migrant workers

Quang Ninh province has imposed a swimming ban and will close all tourist destinations from 4 Aug

Vietnam will change its quarantine policy for inbound travellers, cutting it to 7 days for vaccinated travellers in a centralised quarantine, and then 7 days of self-monitoring. They would also need to test negative within 72 hours before arrival. The start date has not yet been announced

The Ministry of Finance is proposing a 30% cut in corporate income tax for 2021

The US CDC has added Vietnam to its list of countries with a “moderate” COVID travel risk, under Level 2

Utility bills for water, electricity and telecommunications will be reduced in those areas which have imposed social distancing measures in Aug and Sep

Hanoi has set up “green zones” of 50 residential areas without COVID cases. Visitors to these zones must make health declarations and follow strict safety measures

VNLife has raised $250 million USD in Series B funding

Binh Dinh province will go under Social Distancing Directive 15 from 1 Aug, whilst Phan Thiet will be under Directive 16 from 2 Aug

Hanoi residents have been asked not to travel outside of the city during the lockdown

19 southern localities, including HCMC, will extend their social distancing under Directive 16 for another 14 days

Danang will begin social distancing under Directive 16 from 31 Jul

Travel agents have been offering travel packages with discounts of up to 50% off, with flexible dates of booking until the end of 2022, to generate cash flow

Patients who are asymptomatic with COVID-19 will now go under a 14-day home quarantine

The Health Ministry has called for private hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients when assigned to do so, which would create an additional 20,000 beds across the country

The PM has said that the fight against the pandemic will be long, and a new approach and solutions are needed. The National Assembly have given powers to the PM to take stronger measures against the pandemic. The Health Minister expects cases to plateau in HCMC, but still remain high

Retail sales dropped 8.3% MoM in Jul due to lockdown restrictions

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has approved a new project which will digitalise all Vietnamese festivals from 2021-2025, which will also include collecting statistics on the festivals themselves

Hanoi residents will be given shopping tickets for limited shopping slots, to ensure that social distancing is maintained

Saudi Arabia will ban any citizens who visit red-listed countries, including Vietnam, from travel for 3 years

Travel trade players are calling for greater clarification about the Phu Quoc reopening plan, including which hotels will be permitted to accept international guests

Vietnam has signed technology transfer contracts for vaccines with Russian, the US and Japanese companies

11 southern provinces have implemented a curfew from 6pm-5/6am

Quarantine hotels in HCMC can now be booked online through a partnership with Traveloka Vietnam under a campaign, HCM City Tourism Sector Joining the Fight against COVID-19. 117 hotels are now approved for quarantine hotels

VNTravel and Yanolja Cloud have signed a deal to deploy the Yanolja Cloud SaaS solutions to hotels in Vietnam, and VNTravel will market it and support connection to Vietnam’s e-payment VNPay

Hoi An has implemented social distancing measures, with Directive 16 in two wards and Directive 15 for the rest of the town. Locals are not permitted to leave the town

HCMC has imposed a curfew from 6pm-6am from 26 Jul

Hanoi will apply social distancing measures under Directive 16, the strictest one, from 24 Jul, for 15 days. All public transport is banned, people must stay at home, and groups larger than 2 are not permitted. Non-essential businesses and services must close

Vietnam reported 7,968 cases on 24 Jul, the highest yet

Thua Thien-Hue province is looking at a project to promote Hue folk singing as a unique cultural tourism product

HCMC will make its prevention measures stricter for the next 2 weeks, requiring residents in locked down areas to only leave home for medical emergencies and for essential food products twice per week. In high risk areas, residents are banned from leaving the house altogether, and food will be delivered to them. All business and production, and non-urgent construction sites will be closed

Vietnam reported 7,307 cases, its highest yet

20% of accommodation providers have had to close, with 35% operating in moderation. Revenue for tourist attractions has decreased by 60%

Hanoi will quarantine all arrivals from 19 southern provinces which are under Directive 16 social distancing

HCMC will set up quarantine facilities for asymptomatic patients

Noi Bai Catering Services, the country’s leading inflight meals provider for Vietnam Airlines, has seen a pre-tax loss of 24.2 billion VND in Q2 2021, its 5th consecutive quarter of loss

HCMC has yet to see the peak of cases, the authority has warned

Danang will ban all outdoor activities, non-essential business activities and gatherings of more than 2 pax from 22 Jul

The ADB has cut its 2021 GDP forecast for Vietnam to 5.8% from its previous forecast of 6.7%

Vietnam has reported 5,357 cases, a record high

Hundreds gathered in Hanoi on 21 Jul in Hanoi for COVID-19 tests, with a lack of social distancing

The Vietnam Bank for Social Policies is starting to accept interest-free loan applications for businesses to be able to fund furlough and salary payments, as part of the government’s financial aid measures package worth 26 trillion VND

Hotels in HCMC have been offering people needing to quarantine discounts on rooms from 30-70% to help ease crowding at centralised facilities. 20 hotels have been offering frontline medical workers 50,000 free overnight stays and free meals, and Saigontourist has said it would provide 6,150 room nights and three meals per day for medical workers at selected HCMC hotels

Vietravel is looking forward to the launch of a safe travel map of Vietnam, which will help tourists understand where infections are and boost their confidence

The Ministry of Transport has agreed in principle to the Ministry of Tourism’s plan to reopen Phu Quoc to international tourists, but has cautioned that safety measures still need to be worked out

Oxygen facilities could double their capacity if required, the Health Ministry has said

The Health Ministry has warned the public that more severe COVID cases are expected over the coming days as cases increase, and that the situation would be “very complicated”

Danang recorded its highest daily case numbers of 50 on 28 Jul

Quang Ning has now vaccinated 6,800 tourism workers with the first dose. It is aiming to give 200,000 doses for residents and tourism workers between Jul-Aug

The Ministry of Transport will develop Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport to serve 100 million pax per year, but will not build a second airport until at least 2030

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has requested airlines to help transport people back to their hometowns from HCMC and southern provinces

Hanoi has stopped public transport to 37 provinces and cities from 18 Jul

Hanoi has locked down several areas in the city

Hanoi has suspended all non-essential services from 18 Jul. Residents should stay at home except for essential purposes, and gatherings of more than 5 are suspended

16 southern provinces and cities will be under Directive 16 social distancing orders from 19 Jul, in addition to HCMC, Binh Duong and Dong Nai, which have already been applying the measures

Vietnam has reported over 3,000 cases on both 16 and 17 Jul. The Health Minister has said that the virus is spreading faster this time

Vietnam confirmed a high of 3,705 cases on 17 Jul

Booking.com has revealed that Hoi An is one of the top 7 spots for biking for South Korean visitors

Danang has suspended sports activities, sea bathing and closed hair salons from 15 Jul

Vaccinated football fans will be allowed to attend Vietnam’s home games for the qualifying rounds for the World Cup

HCMC is expecting to see rising COVID cases before it drops due to multiple clusters

Khanh Hoa province wants to start taking steps to allow international visitors with vaccine passports to visit, and is starting to form a plan, limited to Bai Dai Beach in Cam Ranh. They would plan to launch in Aug

Khanh Hoa province in H1 2021 has only welcomed 457,000 visitors, -38.5% YoY, and only 9% of its 2021 target. Only 400 of 1,147 tourism businesses are still in operation

HCMC’s health department has said that there is a “huge burden on the medical system”, and the city needs around 1,500 more frontline doctors and 5,500 more nurses and technicians

Hanoi will test 10,000 people

Quarantine for international arrivals will be shortened to 14 days from 21 days, except for those arriving on business purposes whose duration of stay is shorter than 14 days

Requirements are unclear for how tour guides can claim the government support package, especially freelancer tour guides

Hanoi’s outbreak is unpredictable, the Health Department has said, with new clusters being detected in the city

The ASEAN-Japan Centre has said that a survey shows 63.4% of Japanese respondents want to visit Vietnam for sightseeing, and over 70% who had already visited the country wanted to visit again

The Tourism Ministry plans to run a 6-month vaccine passport program in Phu Quoc from Oct, attracting 40,000 international travellers. The plan sees 2,000-3,000 travellers per month arriving by charter flight in the first 3 months, who would only be allowed to stay in permitted hotels and tourist areas. The next 3 months would increase to 5,000-10,000, with commercial flights. Some major potential inbound markets include China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the US, Germany, Russia, the UK and France. Travellers would need to be fully vaccinated within 12 months of arrival, or those who have recovered from COVID must prove it was within 12 months. They must also provide negative RT-PCR tests

Hanoi is testing everyone who has travelled from HCMC

Vietnam will now implement nationwide home quarantine for those who have had contact with COVID-positive patients. They should quarantine for 28 days, but they must have their own separate room and bathroom

Hanoi will close all non-essential services. Restaurants will only be able to serve takeaway, entertainment, physical exercise and large gatherings in parks from 13 Jul

Tien Giang province has imposed Directive 16 social distancing orders across 10 localities. Binh Phuoc Province, Can Tho City, Vung Tau and Dong Thap province have also has put certain areas under Directive 16

Marriott has opened the Fairfield by Marriott South Binh Duong, the first Fairfield in Vietnam

Lockdown restrictions will be imposed on Can Tho for 14 days from 11 Jul

The Tourism Ministry is planning to complete its pilot program content later in Jul for reopening Phu Quoc

Vietnam recorded 1,616 cases on 9 Jul, the highest number yet

DBS Bank has said that Vietnam’s economy is expected to surpass that of Singapore by 2030

Vietnam recorded 1,844 cases on 10 Jul, the highest number yet

38,717 tourism workers were furloughed in Danang in 2020, whilst from in 2021 until 11 Jun, 11,802 tourism workers had to quit their jobs

Hue is running a “Hue locals traveling to Hue” tourism campaign, as the situation is still unstable, but they acknowledge that this is only a temporary solution, as it is limited to weekend and public holiday travel, as well as the fact that they can travel on their own

Foreigners who entered Vietnam on visa waivers, e-visas or tourist visas from 1 Mar 2020 and were stranded will have their stay automatically extended until 31 Jul, but must leave by then

Danang has reopened its beaches and outdoor activities from 10 Jul, but strict measures are in place

More social distancing orders have been put into place for Mekong Delta provinces and Can Tho City after an increase in cases

Sri Lanka and Oman have extended an entry ban on Vietnamese arrivals

All travelling from HCMC to other locations in Vietnam must self-isolate for 7 days on arrival, with 3 tests during the self-isolation period. Hanoi has also requested its citizens not to travel to COVID-19 hotspots, including HCMC. Those who do must have approval from the authorities

Under the social distancing rules in HCMC, food takeaways will be banned, as well as ride hailing and taxis

Vietnam recorded 1,307 cases on 8 Jul, the highest number yet

Thousands of people have rushed to leave HCMC ahead of its social distancing order coming into force on 9 Jul

Dong Nai province and Khanh Hoa’s Nha Trang Town will start a Directive 16 social distancing order on 9 Jul. Other localities with social distancing measures include Binh Duong, Long An and Tien Giang

HCMC will test 1.3 million samples daily for COVID-19 – currently, it carries out 400,000 tests daily

Hanoi will suspend outdoor physical exercise and sports from 8 Jul. Road transportation to from 14 provinces and cities will also be suspended

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and La Vie will partner to feature more than 100 different natural wonders on the labels of La Vie mineral water, and when a QR code is scanned, customers can access more information on them on the VNAT website

The SEA Games in Vietnam have now been postponed, and will likely be held in April or May 2022

Danang City Tourism Promotion Centre has collaborated with a Vietnamese KOL to promote Danang cuisine on Facebook and TikTok with livestreams

Bac Giang has controlled the pandemic and is now starting to recover to normality

Kien Giang province has attracted over $43.4 million USD of investment into 2 tourism projects in H1 2021. In H1, it welcomed 2.3 million tourists and generated revenue of 2.68 trillion VND. It forecasts 3.1-5 million visitors in H2

Hanoi is targeting 15 million domestic tourists in 2021, 70% of 2019 levels and twice that of 2020. In H1, it received 2.9 million with a revenue of $352.6 million USD. 90% of customers cancelled booked tours to Hanoi for May/ early Jun

Hanoi is performing spot tests on passengers returning from HCMC at Noi Bai International Airport from 6 Jul

The PM has asked HCMC to impose the highest travel restrictions, whilst still maintaining a flow of essential goods into the city

HCMC will impose another 15-day social distancing order from 9 Jul, under Directive 16, its most stringent level. Residents must stay at home, only leaving for essential reasons. Not more than 2 people can gather in public places, the majority of public transport will be closed and there will be no travel permitted to other localities

Hanoi is proposing that all students return to school from 10 Jul to complete the academic year until 24 Jul

Hanoi is on the alert after 10 community cases were detected in the city, after a 10-day zero case streak

Lam Dong’s Department of Tourism has said that more than a thousand hotels and 7 tourist sites in Da Lat have suspended operations, and even those which are open are expected to close in the next few days, with more job losses for tourism workers

Quang Binh province will now welcome visitors from outside the province. Ninh Binh has also reopened its tourist attractions and sites, but will ban external visitors still. Vinh Phuc has reopened its tourist destinations, but visitors need a negative test to enter

HCMC is considering a new quarantine policy which would see a 28-day quarantine for those directly linked to COVID-19 cases, with 2 weeks at centralised facilities, and 2 weeks at home

Lao Cai province has welcomed 1.1 million tourists in H1 2021, up 21% YoY, and reaching 22% of its annual target. Its tourism revenue was $148 million USD, +3% YoY. 552,000 tourists stayed in Sapa, and 520,000 in Lao Cai City, whilst Bac Ha saw 92,000 and Bat Xat 21,000. The province is looking at building up spiritual tours, as well as cultural programs focusing on brocade heritage and flower. It will also develop adventure tourism with waterfall crossing, and boat racing. It is targeting 5 million tourists and a revenue of $696.17 million USD in 2021. Digital transformation will be a key strategy, and it hopes to create 130 new tourism products. 15-20% of accommodation in the province has closed, with those open receiving guests on weekends and holidays with an average occupancy of 20-30%. More than 3,000 tourism workers have lost their jobs

Bac Giang province is aiming to make tourism a key economic contributor by 2025 and welcome 3-3.5 million tourists. They will look to maximise cultural heritage and religious tourism, as well as smart tourism

Vietnam has reported its highest number of local cases, 914, with 250 recorded in HCMC

A new $1.13 billion USD financial aid package will be expanded to include tour guides

Officials have said that the outbreak in HCCM remains unpredictable, and could grow bigger

Vietnam welcomed 88,200 international visitors in H1 2021, -97.6% YoY

Most tours to Ha Giang province in June were cancelled, according to the Vietnam News. The H’mong Village Resort saw all accommodation bookings cancelled in May and Jun. In H1, the province welcomed 642,000 tourists, just 38% of its usual numbers, and revenue of just $50 million USD

The UAE has banned its citizens from travelling to Vietnam due to fears over new virus variants

Vietnam recorded its 2nd highest case numbers on 1 Jul, with 713 cases – HCMC had the most, with 464

HCMC is hoping to contain the pandemic by 10 Jul, and will conduct 1 million test samples per day

The government has announced 2 scenarios for Vietnam’s economy in H2 2021. Scenario 1 would achieve 6% GDP growth in 2021, with 6.2% in Q3 and 6.5% in Q4. Scenario 2 would achieve 6.5% GDP growth in 2021, with 7% in Q3 and 7.5% in Q4. Its H1 2021 GDP was 5.64%

Quang Ninh will trial tracking wristbands to track visitors as part of its vaccine passport program. Visitors without smartphones will need to wear the wristbands, whilst those with phones will be given a SIM card and asked to install apps such as Vietnam Health Declaration and Bluezone

Vietnam’s tourism revenue on H1 2021 was $194 million USD, -51.8% YoY. The worst affected areas were Ban Ninh (-61.8% YoY), HCMC (-53.6% YoY), Hai Phong (-46.5% YoY), Hanoi (-44.3% YoY), Da Nang (-43.5% YoY), and Quang Ninh (-36.6% YoY)

The Deputy PM has asked ministries to look into reducing the difficulties for the tourism sector, after 90% of tourists have cancelled their tours planned for May and early Jun. Hanoi’s Department of Tourism have reported that 80-90% of the city’s tourism businesses have temporarily suspended operations, and 90^% of tourism jobs have been cut

Quang Ngai city will impose social distancing orders from 29 Jun

HCMC will extend its social distancing period until further notice

Vietnam reported its 2021 Q2 GDP of 6.61%, up from 4.65% in Q1 2021

Cruise ship operators from Lan Ha Bay in Hai Phong have asked the local authorities to supper them with free entry tickets to Lan Ha Bay until the year end, and 50% discounts for sightseeing tickets on overnight cruises

Phu Quoc is planning to vaccinate all its residents ahead of reopening, with the first phase in Jul and the second phase in Sep

Bac Giang province has approved a development project for the night-time economy to run from 2021-2030

HCMC will do large-scale testing on 5 million people in all districts, as well as Thu Duc City, from 26 Jun-5 Jul

The Health Ministry has recommended to HCMC that people who have just had contact with positive patients should be allowed to self-isolate, rather than go into centralised quarantine facilities

Quang Ninh province will pilot a 7-day quarantine for international fully vaccinated arrivals, starting in Jul. They would need to have proof of vaccination with a vaccine certified by the WHO, CDC, EMA or Vietnamese authorities, and must be fully vaccinated before 14 days of arrival. It will also apply to those who have proof showing a full recovery from COVID-19. Arrivals will still need to have negative tests prior to arrival, and will be tested on arrival (antigen), as well as on the 6th day (RT-PCR). They will then need to self-isolate at their residence for another 7 days. Categories permitted include foreign experts, business executives, highly skilled workers and their relatives, foreign students, athletes, diplomatic guests, or people on business trips

Tourism businesses have welcomed the idea of opening up Phu Quoc to international tourists

The Ministry of Transport has rejected 11 localities’ proposals for airports by 2050, saying that they were not necessary

The Miss Vietnam Tourism Global 2021 competition was launched online

The Tourism Ministry has proposed that Russia be the first country to be permitted to enter Phu Quoc under a vaccine passport scheme. Kien Giang hopes to welcome tourists by Sep or early Oct

A tourism project’s construction worth $159.6 million USD in Thanh Hoa was officially launched on 23 Jun. It will include villas, a 5* hotel, shopping area, golf course, pedestrian zones and recreation facilities

Hanoi will allow outdoor exercise once more, and reopen golf courses from 26 Jun

Binh Dinh province has closed its beaches and will only allow takeaway services from 25 Jun

Agoda’s Travel in 2021 survey has shown of its Vietnamese respondents: • The top ways for travel are taking short trips, exploring new destinations and looking for experiences such as added perks and themed travel stays • Experiences, F&B benefits and early check-in/ check out are the top-rated benefits for accommodation packages

Binh Thuan province will implement social distancing from 24 Jun in Tuy Phong district and Phan Thiet City

Tuy Hoa City will implement social distancing from 24 Jun

Bac Ninh has allowed all businesses without cases to restart operations from 24 Jun

Bac Giang province has removed the social distancing order for Bac Giang City, after 10 days without new cases

The Tourism Ministry is urgently working to draft a plan to welcome international vaccinated tourists to Phu Quoc. The plan is due to be submitted to the PM in Jul

Singapore and Vietnam are discussing how to relax restrictions on business travel and “selected tourist sites” travel over the next few months between the 2 countries, “hopefully by the end of the year”. However, Singapore has said that Vietnam needs time to accelerate its vaccination program first

The Ministry of Health has denied Nanocovax’s application for emergency use, saying that there is not enough scientific data yet

Many cases being detected in HCMC are without clear sources of transmission, being detected through health checks at hospitals

Hanoi’s visitors in H1 2021 are estimated to be around 2.9 million, -25% YoY, with revenue of $352.6 million USD, -57% YoY. The Hanoi Travel Association have said that tourism businesses should work together with the local authorities to develop night tourism to generate revenue

Hanoians are travelling to resorts nearby the city for their summer holidays, to avoid having to take flights. Many resorts in Hoa Binh are fully booked

Hanoi has reopened indoor dining, drinking venues and hair salons from 22 Jun. Capacity is limited to 50%, and they must close by 9pm

The Tourism Ministry has suggested that tour guides who have lost their jobs should be entitled to government financial aid of $233.65 per person

International travel agents in Vietnam are suffering due to a law which requires them to maintain a deposit amount of 500 million VND at all times, which is 5 times more than the amount needed for domestic travel agents

Danang has closed its beaches and dine-in restaurants from 20 Jun after local cases were detected in the city. The reopening of education and interprovincial transport between Danang and Quang Nam has also been postponed

HCMC will suspend taxi and ride-hailing, public buses and interprovincial buses from 20 Jun. It will also ban gatherings of 3 or more outside of workplaces, schools and hospitals

HCMC had a record number of cases on 18 Jun, at 149. 24 provinces in Vietnam have gone without local cases for 14 days

HCMC has been told that it should apply the smallest possible scaled restrictions to handle the outbreak. The city is piloting allowing close contacts of confirmed cases to quarantine at home, and will ramp up testing to 30,000 per day

The mandatory centralised quarantine period for air international passengers entering Vietnam has been extended to 21 days

Arrivals to Hanoi from HCMC will undergo random testing for 4-5 days

The PM has approved a project to plan sustainable tourism in Vietnam from 2021-2030, with a vision for 2045. It will set goals to clarify growth for national tourism sites and those with potential, develop mid-long term plans and mobilise social resources

HCMC will start its vaccination campaign on 19 Jun, rolling out 800,000 AstraZeneca doses to priority groups. The campaign is expected to last 5-7 days

Vietnam has called for ASEAN to finalise a framework for a travel corridor arrangement soon

Kien Giang has proposed that all Phu Quoc residents are vaccinated, so that it can reopen to international tourists in Sep or Oct

The government has said that the next 2 weeks in HCMC are critical to containing the latest outbreak

Vietnam recorded its highest daily case number yet, at 503, on 17 Jun, with the majority of cases recorded in Bac Giang and HCMC

The Vietnam Tourism Association has said that tour companies can reach more customers through digital transformation

Oxalis Adventure is offering heavily discounted packages to explore the caves in Quang Ninh province, due to the restrictions on interprovincial travellers. Tours had previously been fully booked, but now had to adapt to intraprovincial travellers instead

Vietnam will launch a 150 million vaccine dose campaign, the Health Minister has said. During the roll-out, all the information will be digitalised to ensure smooth operations, as well as transparency over the numbers of vaccinated. As of 15 Jun, 63,636 people were fully vaccinated and 1.65 million had received their first dose

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam wants to borrow USD from local banks to fund its Long Thanh International Airport project, to maximise benefits and save costs

The HCMC Tourism Association has called for the State Bank of Vietnam, the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the People’s Committee of HCMC and the City’s Department of Tourism to extend deadlines for repayment of interest on loans, cut interest rates and restructure loan payments for up to 2 years

HCMC has been nominated for the 2021 World MICE Awards

90% of SME and inbound tour operators have suspended operations in HCMC, with some of the larger ones remaining open but with 50-80% payroll cuts. 3-5* hotels had seen a 70% drop in their revenues

Hanoi’s health authorities are to propose the reopening of some non-essential services, including restaurants, small traditional markets and sports activities

The HCMC DOT has proposed a non-interest loan package of $9.06 million USD to tourism businesses, to help pay 50% of salaries for 3 months. It also proposed a budget for training tourism professionals, free entrance fees to the city’s attractions in Aug until 2021 end. It has seen just 7.1 million visitors from Jan-May, +11.4% YoY, with revenue of $1.55 billion USD, +23.3% YoY. The number of tourism businesses operating declined by 50% from Jan-May, with 171 licences revoked

Vietravel stated that it previously had 1,500 people in its operations team, but now has just 50

Vietnamese respondents were one of the top nations to want to travel more sustainably after the pandemic, Booking.com has reported in its Sustainable Travel Report 2021. 97% believed that sustainable travel was an important issue, and 79% thought action should be taken now. 84% wanted authentic travel experiences which respected local communities, and 93% thought that understanding and preservation of cultural heritage was necessary. 64% planned to avoid popular tourist attractions to stop overcrowding

The Hanoi Tourism Association has recently held a meeting with 30 tourism businesses to look at solutions for the impact on the tourism sector. The Hanoi DOT is working on the quality of tourism products, and will also identify “safe” areas for travel once the outbreaks is under control

HCMC will extend its social distancing measures for an additional 2 weeks, until 30 Jun. Non-essential businesses will continue to be closed, gatherings of people limited to 5 and people are advised to stay home

The Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) will take place in Hanoi from 29 Jul-1 Aug

The Politburo has agreed that Phu Quoc will be the first locality to pilot accepting vaccine passports, but regulations must be fine tuned

The operators of over 500 ships on Halong Bay have said they are on the edge of bankruptcy and are calling for the government to reduce interest on the debts for ship owners

Bac Ninh has eased its social distancing measures in many areas

Daily cases in HCMC have reached a new high, at 293

The government has ordered agencies to trial COVID-19 passports to allow international travellers to visit locations such as Phu Quoc

The Asian Development Bank has said that Vietnam should be able to fill its two targets of controlling the pandemic and achieving economic growth in 2021

42,500 workers in HCMC have lost their jobs from Jan-May due to COVID

Experts have called for people to be allowed to self-isolate if they have been in contact with COVID-19 patients, rather than enter quarantine facilities, which are filling up fast

Vietnam will decide next week if it will postpone the 2021 SEA Games to 2022. 8 of the 11 nations voted against postponing it, but Vietnam has the final decision

Inbound travel agents have said that European and North American visitors are keen to visit Vietnam again

Dien Bien from 8 Jun allowed all intercity passenger transport between Dien Bien and Hanoi after a 14-day suspension. Son La Province also permitted transport between Son La and Hanoi on 8 Jun, with limited capacity

The HCMC labour department has proposed to provide 310,000 workers with financial support due to the increase of cases in the city

Quang Ninh province has reopened tourist attractions, cultural services, restaurants and golf courses, amongst others, from 8 Jun after no locally transmitted cases were reported for over one month. Bars and karaoke remain closed. The Quang Ninh Department of Tourism is working with the Quang Ninh Tourism Association and travel stakeholders to develop stimulus packages and special offers by 11 Jun

Vietnam Railway Corporation announced that passengers from Jan-May was down 51.4% YoY

Danang reopened its public beaches, and permitted restaurants to reopen from 9 Jun, but with limitations. Festivals, bars and clubs must stay closed

HCMC authorities hopes that the social distancing in place will help it to break the spread of the virus

HCMC is the country’s third worst hit area for the latest wave of cases

Accor has signed a new MGallery hotel in Phu Quoc, set to open in 2023

Ha Tinh province has imposed social distancing regulations from 8 Jun on Ha Tinh city

31,900 Danang tourism workers have lost jobs, almost 63% of the total workforce. Over 90% of 5,000 Danang tourism companies have closed, and 11.9% said they would not survive 2021, according to the Danang Tourism Association. They stated that it was “now a question of how we can keep companies alive, not when they will resume operation”. Only 8% of Vietnam Airlines’ flight attendants are working full-time in May, with flights falling from 500 per day to 70. In May, the country served 288 million pax, -14.9% MoM. Danang has implemented a loan system where tourism workers can borrow up to 100 million VND over 3-5 years -almost 2,000 workers have signed up

Lai Chau province will hold a culture and tourism week in Phong Tho and Tam Duong districts in Nov

Vietnam has been classified as an orange zone by France, meaning that vaccinated Vietnamese visitors will not need to go into quarantine

The PM has urged local governments to stop too strict COVID measures which impact business activity

Vingroup has reached a deal with Singapore’s Breathonix to bring the breathalyser testing system into Vietnam. It will comprise of 30 testing machines capable of handling 2 million samples

Vietnam will test using wristbands to track those under quarantine at home

Binh Duong province has put social distancing in place in 5 towns, from 2 Jun until further notice. Long An province has also begun social distancing in 4 districts from 2 Jun

HCMC residents have been urged to stay at home, whilst state employees have been asked to work from home as much as possible, with only 50% at the office

The National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control has requested that the Ministry of Health come up with new testing procedures for those for are fully vaccinated, potentially shortening quarantine to 7 days from 21 days

The WHO has said that there is no “hybrid variant” present in Vietnam currently, despite the Health Minister saying that one had been detected

The Nam Hoi An Integrated Resort has been approved to shift into an urban resort zone after the first 5 years of its investment have passed

Hanoi saw 115,000 tourists in May, a drop of 55.3% YoY. Total revenue was $14.4 million USD, -60.3% YoY. From Jan-May, the city has welcomed 2.89 million domestic visitors, -6.7% YoY

Vietnam has suspended entry into the country for travellers from India, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, including those who stayed or transited in those countries within the last 21 days

Hanoi has limited the number of people permitted to share a room in its concentrated quarantines, to avoid cross-contamination

All visitors to Binh Dinh, Gia Lai, Quang Ninh, Thanh Hoa, and Thua Thien Hue provinces from HCMC will be quarantined on arrival for 21 days

HCMC will stop COVID-19 tests for people travelling internationally to be able to focus on local testing instead

The Deputy PM has called for all measures to be taken possible to secure vaccines

HCMC needs to prepare for the worst, with cases rising, the Deputy PM has said

HCMC will impose social distancing from 31 May for 15 days. Gatherings of more than 10 people are banned, but this may be lowered further to just 5

HCMC will conduct mass testing, hoping to test over 100,000 per day

HCMC is testing 50,000 people after the detection of a cluster of cases from a Christian mission

Hanoi has stopped all religious gatherings and activities from 29 May until further notice

Ninh Binh is implementing a tourism masterplan which will develop tourism whilst preserving its heritage values. It is also working to enhance its digital transformation

Vietnam has announced that it has found a new variant, a mix of the Indian and UK strains, which appears to be highly transmissible

Hanoi city is calling for businesses to support them financially to purchase 6 million doses

The 2021 Hue Traditional Craft Festival has been suspended, and will be rescheduled to late Jul

HCMC will close its restaurants, spas, tourism sites, museums, walking streets, night markets, parks, homestays and limit public gatherings from 28 May. People are requested to go out for only essential purposes, and large gatherings are not permitted outside of offices, schools and hospitals

A national cultural heritage photo contest and exhibition will be launched in late May

HCMC will stop religious events and ceremonies of over 10 people

From 25 May, Hanoi has temporarily closed restaurants except for takeaway, salons, sports activities and gatherings in public places

Bac Giang province will mass test residents using rapid antigen testing

Vietnam’s daily cases hit a high of 444, with 243 recorded in Bac Giang province

Bac Ninh province have imposed a curfew as of 25 May

Quang Nam province has reopened its public beaches and Hoi An will be permitted to welcome tourists again from 25 May after Danang has gone 14 days without community transmission. Restaurants are permitted to open for takeaway only, but bars remain closed

Many cities and provinces had an election turnout of more than 90% in the 23 May elections

HCMC should consider a network of museums, the Người Lao Động (Labourer) newspaper has recommended. Private museums should also be considered

Many Vietnamese OTAs are considering registering their businesses in Singapore to avoid tax obligations, as they are unable to compete with foreign OTAs who do not have to pay 10% VAT. The Ministry of Finance is said to be drawing up regulations which would clarify foreign OTAs’ financial obligations to pay tax in Vietnam

HCMC will quarantine those coming from Dien Bien, Ha Nam and Ban Ninh provinces for 21 days. A maximum of 20 people are permitted to gather together in public places

Vietnam is holding a general election on 23 May to select 500 members of parliament

Bac Giang stopped all passenger transport into the province from 21 May

Bac Ninh province has now suspended all passenger transportation after recording clusters of cases at industrial parks

The Deputy PM has said that visitors from “safe” countries may only need to quarantine for 7 days, not 21, as this is crucial to commerce and will reduce expenses for entrants. The Ministry of Health has been ordered to draw up the list of safe countries

A survey from Savills Vietnam has shown that many hotels and resorts have had cancellation requests for stays as well as MICE, with more than 50% of bookings cancelled from tourist groups and corporate customers

The Danang Tourism Association has said that based on their statistics, 90% of visitors have cancelled their tours to the city over the summer season

Ninh Binh has suspended its Tourism Week “Golden Colour of Tam Coc- Trang An” due to the wave of cases

The Vietnam SEA Games, scheduled for Nov/Dec 2021, will be held under a no vaccination, no participation policy

The PM has said that the pandemic is now under control, with no new clusters that cannot be traced

The Health Minister has said that this wave of cases is expected to last longer than previous ones, with more infections and different variants

Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces are implementing social distancing policies in certain locations, with residents urged to only leave their homes for essential tasks

Binh Dinh province has given in-principle approval to develop Diem Van urban and ecotourism area. The project will cost approximately $217.5 million USD and will include a modern urban and ecotourism complex

HCMC is offering more support to develop agrotourism and ecotourism in 5 outlying districts: Hóc Môn, Củ Chi, Bình Chánh, Nhà Bè and Cần Giờ. In Cu Chi District, it has partnered with travel agents such as Saigontourist, Vietravel, Fiditour-Vietluxtour and TST Tourist to offer agrotourism tours

Danang has suspended delivery services from 17 May

Moc Chau is aiming to be recognised as a national tourism site by 2025

10% of Vietnamese businesses lack the necessary capital for their business, according to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Many are also finding it difficult to access aid packages

Danang has banned more than 5 people gathering together in public, outside of offices and schools

Hanoi students will finish for the summer from 15 May, instead of 28 May

HCMC tourism businesses are reporting cancellations and rescheduling for summer bookings. TSTourist have reported one group tour cancelled, whilst others rescheduled, and they anticipate MICE to boom to northeastern, northwestern, south central provinces and Phu Quoc once travel resumes. Vietravel has suspended tours to localities with infection, and are focusing on FIT, caravan tours and car services

Hanoi has ordered that all sports events, golf courses and training facilities should close from 13 May. It already ordered the closure of all beer clubs from 11 May

Vietnam has temporarily suspended and restricted the entry of foreigners and overseas Vietnamese into the country

Hanoi have banned gatherings of more than 10 people, cancelling all non-essential meetings

Travellers returning from Danang must make a self-declaration and self-isolate at home upon arrival to Quang Nam province

Hoa Binh City will apply social distancing measures from 10 May, and gatherings of more than 20 pax are banned. Locals are not permitted to go to other localities

Students from more than 30 localities have continued online learning

Vietnam’s daily cases rose to 109, the highest number recorded so far since the pandemic started

Vietnam’s PM has said that the new outbreak could threaten political stability if it is not brought under control

Thuan Thanh District in Ban Ninh Province has imposed social distancing from 9 May

The Health Minister has said that mass testing is the best way to detect infection. Most patients have so far been infected with the UK and Indian variants of the virus

Many tourist beaches have been closed, including in Hai Phong City, Hoi An, Danang, Quang Ninh, Ha Nam and Nam Dinh provinces. Quang Binh province has closed all tourist attractions and suspended all tours until further notice

The PM has said that lockdowns should be applied in the narrowest way across localities, to avoid negative impact on locals

HCMC has banned public gatherings of more than 30 people, and shut buffet restaurants and gyms from 7 May. Convention centres will also be closed

Vietnam will change its quarantine policy, mandating a 21-day quarantine, followed by a 7-day period where people will not be allowed to go out, and must report to the authorities if they have any symptoms. They will be tested on the 7th day of their self-isolation period, as well as 3 times during the 21-day quarantine period

Hanoi has urged its residents not to go out unnecessarily, or form large gatherings, whilst Northern Thai Binh Province started its social distancing from 6 May, banning more than 20 people in a place and 10 or more outside of workplaces and schools. Bac Ninh province have stopped all non-essential services. Quang Ninh has stopped all tourism services, as has Quang Nam

374,000 tourists visited Thanh Hoa province over the long weekend, 22% less than expected due to cancellations from worries about the new rise in cases. Hanoi also saw a decrease in the number of tourists, with 25-30% of rooms cancelled. In Hai Phong, just 110,000 travellers visited, with 40% cancellations

HCMC has increased the number of tests travellers must take during the 14-day quarantine to 4 from the previous 3

HCMC schools will stay closed from next week, switching to online study

Sapa Town has closed many tourist sites after an infected person visited the area

The Health Ministry will partner with other ministries to study a suitable timeframe to implement vaccine passports. The government have said that vaccine passports are only efficient once herd immunity of 70% is reached

Sapa saw 64,000 visitors over the longer weekend, 4X higher than in 2020, and generating $9.03 million USD. Ninh Binh province welcomed 65,000 visitors, +47.5% YoY, generating 120 billion VND. Phu Quoc welcomed 91,000, 3X vs 2020, with revenue of 101.2 billion VND. Da Lat received 145,000 visitors, +180% YoY. Danang welcomed 75,000, 10X 2020’s numbers

Vietnam will change its quarantine policy, mandating a 14-day quarantine, followed by a 14-day period where people will not be allowed to go out, and must report to the authorities if they have any symptoms. They will be tested 7 days into their self-isolation period

A ceramics museum is being developed in Bat Trang ceramics craft village in Hanoi

The Vietnam MICE Club members are developing new MICE activities to stimulate the economy, including sports activities

Passengers and crew members have been allowed to disembark from a Halong Bay cruise ship after a galley worker had close contact with a COVID-19 patient. After the worker, crew members and passengers tested negative, they were sent to quarantine camps

Hanoi has suspended its non-essential services, such as theatres, spas, gyms and limited attendance of events such as parties

Long An province will join the Tourism Promotion Organisation for Asia Pacific Cities (TPO) in Oct

Danang will suspend non-essential activities, including gyms, festivals and sporting events from 4 May. Gatherings will be limited to 30 pax

Danang has requested that it stop receiving repatriation flights

Hanoi students will stay at home from 4 May

HCMC has suspended its cinemas, theatres and online game centres from 3 May

320,000 students in Vinh Phuc and Hung Yen provinces will stay at home until at least 8 May

A Safe Trip in Vietnam app allows travellers to provide feedback on tourism issues, which will be collected by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)

Ha Nam province schools will close from 3-9 May, after an outbreak of COVID-19 in the province. The outbreak started with a man who returned from Japan and underwent quarantine and negative tests. After leaving quarantine, he subsequently tested positive

Ha Nam province has put the Dao Ly commune under lockdown on 1 May, and 2 communes have implemented social distancing measures

The Deputy PM has warned of a “very high” threat to Vietnam after it reported its first local case in a month. It warned against mass gatherings over the long weekend, and said that it would speed up its vaccine rollout