Viet resort island sees first tourists after nearly 2 years

HANOI • Two hundred vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam's beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc yesterday, the first wave of visitors to the country in nearly two years as it seeks to resurrect its pandemic-ravaged tourism economy.

Vietnam imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic in an effort to keep out Covid-19, with some initial success, but that harmed its burgeoning tourism sector, which typically accounts for about 10 per cent of its gross domestic product.

Vaccinated tourists now do not have to undergo two weeks of mandatory quarantine, according to the authorities, but are required to enjoy their holiday only inside the Vinpearl mega complex resort and will be tested twice during their trip.

"This is the first and vital step to revive our tourism sector and to prepare for the full resumption next year," said Mr Nguyen Trung Khanh, chairman of the country's tourism administration. "We want to offer tourists a new experience amid new normalcy (so that) they can live fully in Phu Quoc and then live fully in Vietnam."

Phu Quoc is a Unesco biosphere reserve - its surrounding waters are filled with coral reefs and its beaches were once nesting spots for hawksbill and green turtles.

Ahead of yesterday's reopening, staff at the Vinpearl resort swept beaches, arranged cutlery on tables and laid out sunbeds. Others busied themselves painting delicate flowers on conical hats.

"When we heard that visitors were coming back, I was just so excited," said duty manager Ngo Thi Bich Thuong.

In 2019, before the pandemic, around five million people, including half a million foreigners - mostly from China, South Korea, Japan and Russia - holidayed on Phu Quoc.

To cater for the tourist boom, 40,000 hotel rooms have been built, planned or are under construction, Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board vice-chairman Ken Atkinson told Agence France-Presse. "That's more hotel keys than they have in Sydney, Australia", he said.

The island's authorities expect to welcome 400,000 domestic and international tourists until the end of this year.

Other Vietnamese destinations, such as Unesco World Heritage site Hoi An and Danang beach, are also welcoming international tourists back.

Vietnam's move follows similar steps taken by neighbouring Thailand, which hosted vaccinated foreign tourists for quarantine-free holiday earlier this month.

Vietnam, which has inoculated more than half of its 98 million people, is seeking to resume international commercial flights from January next year and eyeing a full tourism reopening from June.

REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE