The number of foreign tourists visiting Vietnam was 3.8 million last year, down 79% from 18 million in 2019, when tourism revenue was $31 billion, or 12% of GDP, the outlet reported.
Before the pandemic, Vietnam was an emerging casino jurisdiction, with many large resorts along its long coastline.
Starting in December, Vietnam will allow tourists from approved countries to visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, the upland city of Dalat and the beach destination Nha Trang. Ha Long Bay and Hoi An each have casino properties, the latter home to the Hong Kong-listed gaming resort of Hoi Ana.
Covid resorts and casinos on Phu Quoc Island and only one Vietnamese gaming resort so far have been allowed to offer casino gambling to economically eligible locals.
The local government is one of the first to lobby for the resumption of tourism in some form.
In September, it said it would accept vaccinated arrivals, but at this stage, only domestic tourism is on the national agenda. On Sept. 24, Reuters reported that Phu Quoc had postponed its reopening to November due to a domestic shortage of COVID-19 vaccines.
In other developments, Vietnamese news outlets reported on Sunday that domestic flights, which apply to places where COVID-19 prevention and control measures can be relaxed under the transport ministry's four-phase plan, are set to resume this month.
Flight Global, an airline industry online news service, reported Thursday that domestic flights will return this Sunday (Oct. 10).
Thirteen provinces and cities, including the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City, have agreed to accommodate domestic flights, indicating they are considered a stimulus package, according to an announcement by Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday.
The news outlet reported that aviation authorities have allowed Vietnamese airlines to operate flights on 10 domestic routes since Oct. 10, many of them from Ho Chi Minh City. Each airline, including Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, Pacific Airlines and Bamboo Airways, will be allocated one flight each day within the open route selection.
Passengers using it will be required to complete and present a health declaration form with a "negative" COVID-19 test result issued within 72 hours of departure, Reuters reported.
BY: 파친코
