Hanoi (VNA) - Domestic travel companies are looking forward to the return ofinternational visitors and their significant contribution to tourism revenue.

Solutions for re-opening tourism

Ensuring safetyduring the re-opening requires thorough preparations by the Government,ministries, agencies, and travel companies, experts have said.

Hoang NhanChinh, Secretary General of the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), said in a letterto the Government that the board strongly supports the Government’s policy ofnot trading public health for economic benefit.

The TAB has proposedsolutions to ensure the safe resumption of tourism, in particular the return ofinternational arrivals, he said, adding that one of the solutions is toestablish a working group that brings together experts from different fields like health care, public security, national defence, diplomacy, culture, sports,and tourism.

These expertswill put forth pandemic safety criteria and make a list of countries that cansatisfy safety standards, according to Chinh.

Allinternational visitors to Vietnam must observe procedures regarding “vaccinepassports”, vaccination certificates, and PCR testing before departure andafter arrival, he stressed.

A longquarantine may make visitors feel bored, experts have said, so suitablemeasures are required to shorten the quarantine period while absolutelyensuring COVID-19 prevention and control.

The Governmentshould adopt policies on compulsory travel health insurance that covers COVID-19for visitors to Vietnam and Vietnamese who wish to travel abroad, Chinh said.

Moreover,tourism workers need to be included on the priority list for COVID-19vaccination.

The TABrepresentative also proposed the Government consider a commercial vaccinationprogramme for organisations and businesses that are able to provide shots for theirstaff, along with drawing up tourism promotions at key destinations.

Vietnam - Safe destination

As one of the leading tourism hub of the nation, the capital city of Hanoi is rollingout a host of activities in an effort to warm up the domestic tourism market, andstands ready for the return of foreign tourists.

Director of themunicipal Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said the capital hasprioritised COVID-19 prevention and control in anticipation of the return ofinternational holidaymakers.

According to theofficial, Hanoi had to suspend its cooperation with CNN last year promoting thecity’s image due to the pandemic, but the programme will continue this year.

“We would liketo spread the message that Vietnam, particularly Hanoi, is a safe destinationwith a raft of complete, quality services,” she said.

The departmenthas asked local hotels to upgrade their infrastructure and strengthen theirhuman resources in preparation for the arrival of foreign vacationers.

Giang affirmedthat all international festivals to be organised in Hanoi this year will be at theinternational level, so as to attract foreign visitors./.