Hanoi (VNA) ꧅– Representatives from airlines and the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) shared the view that the aviation sector will quickly recover after Vietnam reopens doors and eases COVID-19 restrictions.

International aviation to boom

The Government has decided to restore international routes from February 15 and fully open doors to international tourists from May 15, 2022. The move is seen as the first step for the domestic aviation sector to normalize its activities in an effort to catch up to regional and international airlines that have been operating flights to and from Vietnam. The Ministry of Health (MoH) is proposing that people can enter Vietnam without certificates of COVID-19 vaccination or recovery but need to follow anti-pandemic measures. The proposal has been sent to ministries, ministry-level and governmental agencies, and provincial-level administrations for recommendations.

Bui Minh Dang, deputy head of the Air Transport Division under the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, said with such moves, the restoration of aviation and tourism is possible this year.

ꩵ Vietnam has so far reopened flights to 20 countries and territories, with around 30 routes and 30 carriers, Dang noted, adding that the country expects to welcome 8 million foreign passengers this year, including 6 million tourists.

Bui Doan Ne, Vice President of VABA, said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that international aviation will boom this year. However, the international demand is expected to reach only 44% of pre-crisis (2019) levels. Pointing out the fierce competition between airlines, IATA suggested that governments should support carriers despite reopening to new travel. A representative from Bamboo Airways said the Vietnamese Government has taken measures to assist carriers like resuming international flights since early 2022, and adjusting and synchronising testing and isolation measures. Bamboo Airways will continue with the target of operating 80 domestic routes and 40 international ones, and making up 30% of the domestic aviation market share.

Optimising opportunities to soon regain growth momentum  

Many countries worldwide have also gradually lifted restrictions on foreign citizens to boost recovery in aviation, tourism and international trade, the representative said. They also stressed that the health ministry’s proposal will create a good opportunity for Vietnam to soon regain its pre-pandemic growth momentum. For airlines, the proposal will help them implement plans on expanding operations to promising markets, and building programmes on accessing and attracting international passengers to Vietnam. The opening is a golden opportunity for domestic tourism to recover and create breakthroughs, contributing to promoting investment and trade ties between Vietnam and other countries, the representative said. Airline representatives said to resume aviation and tourism, it requires the support of all relevant ministries and agencies, as well as efforts by aviation and travel firms. Prior to COVID-19, promotional efforts and policies directed toward international tourism helped Vietnam to draw some 18 million visitors. To welcome back foreign arrivals, apart from visa policies, it is necessary to ensure safety of passengers, and product quality, a representative said./. Box: Vietnam has reopened international routes to and from 20 countries and territories so far, out of 28 that were running in the 2019 winter flight schedule before the COVID-19 broke out. The resumed routes include Cambodia, Hong Kong (China), Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan (China), Thailand, and Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Laos, mainland China, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, Russia and the United States. The eight destinations to which air routes have yet to resume are Brunei, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Macau, Finland, Italy and Switzerland. Some 14 countries and territories have so far recognised Vietnam’s COVID-19 vaccine certificates, while Vietnam has accepted those of 79 countries and territories. The 14 countries are Japan, the US, the UK, Australia, Belarus, India, Cambodia, the Philippines, Palestine, Maldives, New Zealand, Egypt, Turkey and Sri Lanka./.