Hoi An reopens pedestrian zones and night streets.

The People's Committee of Hoi An City has decided to reopen guided tours and tourism activities in order to gradually restore the tourism industry and related economic and service sectors after a long period of serious impact from the pandemic.

Accordingly, from November 15th, Hoi An will resume activities such as pedestrian and non-motorized street activities, night markets, and guided tours in Hoi An Old Town, Thanh Ha pottery village, Tra Que vegetable village, Bay Mau coconut forest historical site, and Cham Island.

To stimulate tourism, Hoi An has also decided to reduce entrance fees to the ancient town and traditional craft villages by 50%; and to organize attractive cultural and artistic activities, events, and festivals to serve the entertainment needs of locals and tourists.

QuangNam is about to welcome international tourists on all-inclusive tour packages.

Immediately after the Government authorized a pilot program to welcome international tourists on November 2nd, Quang Nam province finalized its plan for receiving international visitors as follows:

Phase 1(from November to December 2021): Quang Nam was one of five localities selected to pilot receiving international tourists through package tours, via international charter and commercial flights at selected tourist areas and service facilities.

Quang Nam province has carefully selected tourist areas, attractions, and service providers to cater to international visitors, including: Hoi An Ancient Town, My Son Sanctuary, Hoiana Resort Complex, TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An Resort, Vinpearl Resort & Golf Nam Hoi An, VinWonders Nam Hoi An, Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An, and several transportation and travel agencies within the province.

Phase 2(From January 2022): Expanding the scope of international tourist arrivals connecting destinations through charter flights and regular international flights. Tourists can participate in combined tour programs at 5 localities in Phase 1 after completing a 7-day tour at the first destination. In Quang Nam, expanding the selection of tourist areas, attractions, and service providers that meet the conditions for receiving international tourists, and hotels that have been designated as quarantine areas for incoming travelers.

Phase 3:Fully reopening to the international tourist market. The start date for phase 3 will depend on the actual Covid-19 situation and an assessment of the results of welcoming international tourists in the first two phases.

The plan also outlines requirements for international tourists. Accordingly, tourists must have a certificate proving they have received all doses of the vaccine at least 14 days prior to departure and no more than 12 months prior to departure, or a certificate confirming recovery from the illness. The time elapsed from hospital discharge to departure must not exceed 6 months. They must have a negative RT-PCR/RT-LAMP test result within 72 hours before departure. They must also have health insurance or travel insurance that covers COVID-19 treatment with a minimum coverage of USD 50,000.

After completing their tour program (minimum 7 days), if tourists wish to stay in Vietnam to visit relatives, they must register in advance with the travel agency to assist with the procedures for handing over the tourists to their local authorities and to undergo medical monitoring in accordance with current regulations.

Huyen Chau