reader Posted January 11, 2022 Posted January 11, 2022 If Thailand's early efforts last year to attract international tourists seemed confusing, Vietnam's current ones are downright daunting. From The VN Express Current Covid pandemic prevention protocols including medical declaration on different apps and rapid testing rules have left domestic carriers navigating troubled skies. During the first week after international flights resumed, January 1-7, 64 international flights brought over 7,800 passengers to Vietnam, according to a report from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. Of these 18 were commercial flights while the rest were charter flights carrying experts and tourists on package tours. After the government approved a two-week first phase of resumption of flights to nine destinations starting January 1, the CAAV has granted flight slots for domestic carriers to seven: Bangkok, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo and Phnom Penh. Currently, flights to Beijing or Guangzhou in China and Vientiane in Laos are yet to resume as relevant aviation authorities are yet to complete negotiations. The CAAV said the South Korean government is limiting inbound passenger flights as part of pandemic prevention measures; therefore, Vietnamese carriers are only allowed to operate two weekly flights from Vietnam to South Korea. Since the resumption, the CAAV has received complaints about current Covid-19 protocol that have been hassling foreign passengers. Passengers are required to submit medical declarations on too many app platforms, which is a challenging task, especially for foreign visitors. For example, entrants need to declare their immigration details on one app and make their medical declaration on another. Then, different localities may require submission of details on different apps, like HCMC and Hanoi, for example, the CAAV said. The Ministry of Transport has suggested that the government lifts the requirement on rapid Covid testing before boarding and after exiting planes. It says foreign passengers should be required to submit negative PCR test results only before boarding flights as is being done in other countries. https://e.vnexpress.net/news/travel/trouble-remains-a-week-after-int-l-flights-resume-4414921.html Quote
reader Posted January 21, 2022 Author Posted January 21, 2022 From VN Express Vietnam Airlines to resume regular flights to Europe Vietnam Airlines plans to resume regular flights to France, Germany, Russia, and the U.K. starting Monday, after a gap of almost two years caused by the Covid pandemic. The national flag carrier will operate its first flight to Europe from Hanoi to London in the U.K. on Monday and another flight from Hanoi to Frankfurt in Germany next Thursday. From February 8, the carrier will operate flights once a week every Tuesday on the Hanoi-London route and the Hanoi-Paris-Frankfurt routes every Thursday. Another once a week flight between Hanoi and Moscow is set for launch on January 29. Tet, Vietnam's biggest and most important holiday, often sees millions of migrant workers and overseas Vietnamese return to their homes for family reunions. Under current regulations, fully vaccinated people and those who have recovered from Covid-19 arriving in Vietnam only need to self-isolate for three days. Everyone, except children below two, must have tested negative for the novel coronavirus using the PCR method within 72 hours before departure. However, due to the emergence of the new Omicron variant, passengers are also required to undergo a rapid test on landing at the Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports. TMax 1 Quote
reader Posted January 23, 2022 Author Posted January 23, 2022 The only way tourists can enter Vietnam is through organized tours of select locations, according to procedures announced today. It appears that it will be months before more liberal policies are adopted. From Vietnam News Those wishing to enter Việt Nam for tourism purposes can do so by joining tour groups under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism’s pilot inbound tourism programme for fully vaccinated arrivals. Under this vaccine passport-based scheme aimed at reviving international tourism after two years of pandemic, foreign tourists could go to five destinations in Việt Nam – Phú Quốc (Kiên Giang Province), Nha Trang (Khánh Hoà), Đà Nẵng, Hội An (Quảng Nam), and Quảng Ninh, with Bình Định and HCM City soon to reopen as well. https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1118745/immigration-department-issues-relaxed-entry-protocols-for-foreign-nationals-overseas-vietnamese.html Quote
