Vietnam Reopens for International Tourism

As of May 15, Vietnam dropped all COVID-19 testing requirements for international arrivals as per Official Dispatch No. 416/CD-TTg after a significant decrease in the number of cases.

The development is in line with Vietnam’s strategy of opening up and recovering its economy. It is also in line with several countries opening up their borders to boost their markets and GDP.

The dropping of testing is a welcome relief to tourists, business travelers, and airlines looking to recover after years of losses.

Travelers are also asked to follow all pandemic protocols such as wearing face masks and disinfecting their hands.

The easing of entry procedures is a significant development compared to countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Indonesia, which maintain more onerous entry requirements for foreign tourists.

The news is welcoming particularly for tour operators who have suffered significant losses. Vietnam received more than 18 million visitors in 2019 compared to just 157,000 foreign arrivals in 2021 due to border closures.

Vietnam has also resumed direct flights to several destinations such as the US, Singapore, Thailand, the UK, and Australia which will help boost the economy and people to people ties. The easing of entry procedures and visas will allow businesses and tour companies to plan trips and will further contribute to Vietnam’s growing economy.