During the period, the number of Asian visitors fell 97.2% year on year but still made up 88% of all international arrivals. Sharing the same trend, those from Europe plummeted 99%, the Americas 99%, Oceania 99.4%, and Africa 94.5%.
The Politburo recently approved the consideration of welcoming foreign visitors with “vaccine passports” to some tourism hubs able to control COVID-19 transmission like the island city of Phu Quoc in Kien Giang province on a trial basis.
At a recent meeting with Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen, the Kien Giang People’s Committee proposed a pilot “closed quarantine tourism” model for foreign travellers who already got inoculated against COVID-19.
It also suggested vaccination for the entire population in Phu Quoc so as to ensure safety for local residents and staff at tourist sites.
Tourism is a key industry of Phu Quoc, which has seen annual growth of 28% in the total visitor number and over 45% in international arrivals. However, it has been hit hard since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out last year, with total tourists and foreign holidaymakers dropping 30.6% and 76.1% year on year in 2020, respectively.
