International visitors to Vietnam drop 97.6 percent y-o-y in H1
Vietnam recorded over 88,200 international visitors in the first half of 2021, plunging 97.6 percent year on year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said on June 29.
A view of part of Phu Quoc island city in Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam recorded over88,200 international visitors in the first half of 2021, plunging 97.6 percentyear on year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said on June 29.
The GSO attributed the nosedive to thecontinuation of anti-COVID-19 measures, including the borders closed forinternational tourism, noting that most of the foreign arrivals are experts andtechnical workers performing duties at projects in Vietnam.
During the period, the number of Asian visitorsfell 97.2 percent year on year but still made up 88 percent of allinternational arrivals. Sharing the same trend, those from Europe plummeted 99percent, the Americas 99 percent, Oceania 99.4 percent, and Africa 94.5percent.
The Politburo recently approved theconsideration of welcoming foreign visitors with “vaccine passports” to sometourism hubs able to control COVID-19 transmission like the island city of PhuQuoc in Kien Giang province on a trial basis.
At a recent meeting with Deputy Minister ofHealth Do Xuan Tuyen, the Kien Giang People’s Committee proposed a pilot“closed quarantine tourism” model for foreign travellers who already gotinoculated against COVID-19
It also suggested vaccination for the entirepopulation in Phu Quoc so as to ensure safety for local residents and staff attourist sites.
Tourism is a key industry of Phu Quoc, which hasseen annual growth of 28 percent in the total visitor number and over 45percent in international arrivals. However, it has been hit hard since theCOVID-19 pandemic broke out last year, with total tourists and foreignholidaymakers dropping 30.6 percent and 76.1 percent year on year in 2020,respectively./.
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A view of part of Phu Quoc island city in Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA) 
