The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is closely working with authorities in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, home to Phu Quoc, on the pilot program’s content, which will allow tourists from Europe, America and some Asian countries to visit the island.

Sao Beach on Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province.

While several localities have proposed the vaccine passport program for themselves, Phu Quoc has more advantages, deputy tourism minister Doan Van Viet told VnExpress.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island off the southern coast, is relatively isolated from the mainland with adequate infrastructure such as airport and accommodation facilities, so it is convenient to pilot the vaccine passport program there, he said.

Viet also said that in addition to ensuring safety and preventing the spread of disease in the island and elsewhere, there are many issues that need to be resolved, including passports, immigration, accommodation as well as tourist routes.

The health ministry is preparing to vaccinate for all residents on Phu Quoc Island so that it can reopen its doors to foreigners.

Dr. Vu An Dan, Dean of the Faculty of Tourism of Hanoi Open University, agreed that "Phu Quoc is the ideal place to implement this policy."

Due to its isolation from the mainland, pandemic control on Phu Quoc Island would be easier, he said, explaining that the population was not large, making it possible to vaccinate all residents and those working in the tourism industry, Dan said.

The second place where the vaccine passport program can be applied is in Quang Nam Province, home to the UNESCO heritage site Hoi An, Dan said. Although this locality is not as isolated as Phu Quoc, it has several other favorable conditions, he added.

Last April, Quang Nam was the first to seek permission from the government to allow vaccinated foreign tourists to visit, starting July. The government is yet to approve it.

Phu Quoc has become a top tourist destination after the government allowed foreigners visa-free entry for 30 days starting in 2014. Tourism is the mainstay of the island’s economy, and last year the number of tourists fell by 30.6 percent, with that of international tourists falling 76.1 percent year-on-year.

Vietnam closed its borders and canceled all international flights in March last year. Only Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts, diplomats, investors, and highly-skilled workers have been allowed since with stringent quarantine requirements.

“Vaccine passport” mechanism needed to promote trade, investment: PM

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered the health, tourism and diplomacy sectors to soon study and issue a "vaccine passport" mechanism in order to promote trade and investment while addressing the Government’s regular meeting on March 31.

Japanese GI certificate: "Passport" for Luc Ngan lychee to enter fastidious markets

(BGO) - Luc Ngan lychee is the first product of Vietnam that has been officially granted a geographical indication (GI) certificate in Japan. This event marks an important milestone and is a new opportunity for lychee exports to many different markets. On this occasion, Bac Giang Newspaper interviewed Nguyen Thanh Binh, Director of the provincial Department of Science and Technology, on this event.

Vietnam to ensure “safety first” with “Covid-19 vaccine passport” scheme

Standing members of the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control have discussed the preparation of technical and policy solutions to implement the “Covid-19 vaccine passport” scheme while ensuring the principle of “safety first”.

Vietnam tourism officials consider Covid-19 vaccine passports

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is working with relevant agencies on a proposal to welcome vaccinated foreign tourists back to the country.

Vietnamese returning with 'vaccine passport' undergoes mandatory quarantine

One of the first Vietnamese nationals with a "vaccine passport" was quarantined Wednesday on return from the U.S. per existing Covid-19 protocols.

Source: VnExpress