The five-star Furama Resort Danang is seen from above. Photo courtesy of the resort

This is part of the central city's efforts to resume socio-economic activities after several months of suspension as the pandemic situation in Da Nang has been brought under control, VnExpress reported.

From October 1 to 15, the city plans to allow meetings, along with indoor and outdoor events with less than 30 people. Those having received two doses of a Covid vaccine would be permitted to attend indoor activities with less than 100 people and outdoor events of no more than 200.

Non-essential services except bars, karaoke parlors, spa and massage parlors could resume operation while hotels, resorts and accommodation facilities are allowed to reopen their doors to tourists.

The city would also allow religious sites and tourist destinations to reopen but ensure no large crowds of more than 30 people at a time.

During the ongoing coronavirus wave, Da Nang has recorded nearly 4,900 cases. The rate of new community transmissions per 100,000 people on a weekly basis has been on a downward trend as only 10 new domestic infections have been recorded over the past two weeks.

Da Nang had ordered everyone to stay home from August 16.

Before that, it had imposed Directive 16, which contains the country’s most stringent social distancing rules and prohibits people from leaving home except for buying food or medicines and working.

Over 665,000 residents have been vaccinated so far, including over 80,000 who got two doses.

Since early May, Da Nang suspended tourism activities as it grappled with a series of Covid clusters.

The impact of Covid-19 has severely impacted the tourism industry. Da Nang received more than 8.6 million visitors in 2019 and earned tourism revenues of VND31 trillion.

Due to border closures and flight suspensions, the number of visitors to Da Nang last year fell 45 percent year-on-year to 3.9 million.

As of late last year, more than half of travel and accommodation businesses in the tourist city suspended operation while more than 30,000 tourism staff lost their jobs.

Tourism resumption in other localities

Six Senses Con Dao resort in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Photo courtesy of the resort

Apart from Da Nang, Phu Quoc city off southern Kien Giang province is set to receive first charter flights from November 20 this year to bring foreign travelers with a vaccine passport to the resort city under a pilot scheme recently approved by the Prime Minister, according to VOV.

The pilot scheme will be implemented over a six-month period, with the island city to welcome from one to three initial flights between November 20 and December 20.

The city is anticipated to receive approximately 3,000 to 5,000 foreign tourists per month in the first phase, from December 20, 2021 to March 20, 2022, and 5,000 to 10,000 visitors in the second phase, from March 20 to June 20, 2022.

Phu Quoc targets tourists from Covid-19 controlled countries, including those from Europe, the Middle East, China, Taiwan (China), Russia, and Australia.

Ha Long Bay- UNESCO-recognised heritage site in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Photo: Vietnamnet

Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City, the largest coronavirus hotspot, has launched a "closed bubble" tourism model in both Can Gio and Cu Chi districts in order to welcome medical workers who have actively assisted the southern city in the Covid-19 fight. Indeed, these tour packages will be extended beyond September 30, Vietnamnet said.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau province in the south has also permitted four Ho Tram Strips complex, Meliá Ho Tram hotel, Binh Chau hot spring resort, and Six Senses Con Dao resort, to pilot the return of domestic tourists with "closed" services.

Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh reopened beaches to the public from 12 p.m. on September 19. It also launched a number of interesting activities ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival that falls on September 21.

Previously, the northern province of Vinh Phuc reopened resorts, tourist attractions, and golf courses on September 13, all of which are now allowed to operate at more than 50% of their capacity.

Covid-19 prevention and control measures

The localities have put Covid-19 prevention and control measures in place while resuming tourism activities.

For Ba Ria-Vung Tau, local authorities asked the above-said facilities to have quarantine areas and ensure staff stay at the workplace and have been vaccinated at least once for Covid-19 at least 14 days prior to resuming work, and everyone must undergo a PCR test every 72 hours.

They have to transport the tourists to and from other cities and provinces by their own vehicles, VnExpress said.

To visit these facilities, travelers need to furnish documents showing they have received two shots of a vaccine, the second between 14 days and 12 months before the date of arrival.

Guests will be tested for Covid-19 on the first, sixth and 13th days.

They are not allowed to go out and have to strictly follow anti-pandemic regulations. They are required to make a reservation and pay a deposit to the facilities.

Can Gio district would consider reopening outdoor entertainment and dining activities on a small scale of less than 20 people based on recommendations of the Health Ministry.

The district also plans to open a tour that enables tourists to only visit a limited area. The first tour is scheduled for September 30, said Le Minh Dung, Secretary of the district Paty Committee./.