Hanoi (VNA) – 🌄Representatives from State management agencies and experts have shared their view that the removal of restrictions on international flights from February 15 will help the tourism sector quickly revive and lure international tourists back. 

Many even said with thorough preparations, Vietnam would access new markets and customers. 

Early restoration to catch up with the world

Speaking at a seminar on the resumption of international flights in the south-central province of Binh Dinh on February 24, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA) Bui Doan Ne said tourism and aviation have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.    As the pandemic has suspended both domestic and international flights, businesses in the industries have faced a financial brunt, he added.  The decision to resume international flights from February 15 in preparation for full tourism reopening from March 15 will help the domestic aviation sector normalise its operations and catch up with regional and global airlines that are operating flights to Vietnam, Ne continued.  However, there will be a host of challenges for Vietnam and the aviation and tourism sectors in particular in the time ahead, especially in seeking recovery and stimulation solutions, as well as ensuring safety for the passengers, as the pandemic remains complex.  Bui Minh Dang, deputy head of the Air Transport Division under the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said Vietnam has restored international flights to 20 countries and territories so far.  He cited a scenario set out by the authority that the number of air passengers will reach 43 million this year, half of the figure recorded in 2019, but still remarkable amid the pandemic. Of these, 8 million would be foreigners, including 6 million tourists.  According to Dang, most of the restored flights target Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, though many foreign airlines have suggested the Authority restore routes to the central region.  Stressing the close links between tourism and aviation, the official said tourists account for up to 70% of the air passengers. Therefore, the resumption of flights and increase in flight frequency will give a boost to tourism. Meanwhile, the tourism sector offers a source of passengers to aviation, he further explained. 

Creating development impulse 

Luong Hoai Nam, Vice Chairman of Gotadi Travel Technologies JSC, emphasised that Vietnam should not consider COVID-19 a barrier to the reopening. Instead, the Government should make it easier to welcome international travellers by immediately restoring the pre-pandemic visa policy. He suggested that visa waivers should be expanded to the entire EU, Australia and New Zealand, among others, as well as the 13 countries benefiting from the policy earlier.  Travellers from the US and China should be granted a long-stay visa of five to 10 years, he said, noting: “Visa waiver is the key for Vietnam to stay competitive with international rivals.” In this regard, Ne said there should be a consensus among countries on testing and quarantine regulations. 

He also emphasised the need to continue investing in infrastructure to anticipate the recovery and adopt policies to promote tourism and support airlines, saying Vietnam should remove barriers to soon regain its position as one of the five countries with the fastest-growing aviation industry in the world before the pandemic.

Economist Tran Dinh Thien said through tourism and aviation, the government wants to send out a message of Vietnam’s safety and recovery, as well as the resilience of local firms.  Nguyen Ngoc Trong, Deputy Director of Bamboo Airways, said the budget carrier has made use of the past two years to consolidate its system, from fleet and service quality to personnel./.