The tourism sector should pay special heed to improving the quality of tourism products, infrastructure facilities and human resources, and utilities provided for foreign tourists in order to increase its competitiveness and attract more foreign visitors in the post-COVID-19 pandemic, General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Trung Khanh has said.

While informing the preparations for reopening tourism activities in the new normal on February 21, Khanh revealed that the tourism sector has set a target of serving 65 million visitors, including 5 million foreigners, and earning 440 trillion VND (nearly 19.3 billion USD) in 2022, thereby regaining strong growth momentum after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sector has continued to implement the second phase of a pilot programme to welcome international arrivals back and prepare necessary conditions to fully open tourism activities from March 15, 2022, he said.

To open up tourism activities in a safe and effective manner in accordance with the Government’s directions, the sector needs to promote advertising and promotion programmes via digital platforms and e-marketing, in order to help foreigners know more about Vietnam's tourism reopening policy, Khanh said.

Attention should also be paid to ensuring safety and security, and regulations on environmental protection and pandemic prevention in tourism activities, he noted.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to work with relevant ministries and sectors to quickly build specific instructions before March 15, thus creating favourable conditions for localities and businesses to resume tourism activities, Khanh said.

The tourism industry should targets tourism markets where regulations on quarantine after foreign trips are not too strict and those that have moved to re-open their doors to foreign tourists, he said, adding that it is also necessary to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people to travel abroad.

He suggested localities issue policies to support travel firms in developing new tourism products, and prepare all necessary conditions to resume tourism activities from March 15, 2022.

The VNAT will continue to make proposals on extending support policies in terms of finance and credit for businesses and employees operating in the industry, he affirmed.

According to head of the VNAT's Travel Department Nguyen Quy Phuong, the tourism sector is planning to welcome foreign travellers entering the country by air, road and sea nationwide from March 15.

Regarding the visa issue, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and relevant ministries and sectors are proposing the Government to allow the application of visa policies for tourists like the time prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, including issuance of e-visas, and unilateral and bilateral visa exemptions, Phuong said.

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