Vietnamese carriers increase flight frequency for year-end travel rush

 

An aircraft takes off from Noi Bai Airport, Hanoi, October 11, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Several airlines have announced plans to increase domestic flight frequency from Wednesday to meet higher travel demand during the year-end peak season.

Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air would double their frequency to five flights a day on each of the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi-Da Nang and Da Nang-HCMC routes from Dec. 1-14.

In the remaining half of this month, the frequency of daily flights on these routes would increase to six.

Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 30, both carriers only operated two flights a day either way between Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang.

Between HCMC, Hanoi and tourist hotspots like Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc, Vietnam Airlines would increase its frequency from one to two daily flights each way.

For the Hanoi-HCMC route, Pacific Airlines would double its frequency to two flights a day from Dec. 1-14 and to three in the remaining half of this month.

Pacific Airlines would fly twice a day on the HCMC-Phu Quoc route while there would be from four to seven flights a week on the HCMC to Nha Trang, Da Lat and Quy Nhon routes.

Bamboo Airways would increase its frequency to three daily flights on the Hanoi-HCMC route from Dec. 1-14 and four a day from Dec. 15.

With other routes from Hanoi, HCMC to beach tourist hotspots Cam Ranh, Phu Quoc and Da Nang City, Bamboo Airways would double its frequency to two flights a day either way.

Currently, passengers need to satisfy one of three conditions: a negative test obtained 72 hours prior, a certificate showing they are fully vaccinated with the second shot between 14 days and 12 months or a certificate proving they recovered from Covid-19 more than six months before.

But those from high-risk or locked-down areas, along with HCMC and Can Tho need to furnish a negative coronavirus test before boarding, even if they have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.

Passengers are required to make a medical declaration before boarding, using the PC-COVID application. Passengers will not be allowed to board the flight if they show symptoms of a cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle ache, sore throat and loss of taste.

Da Nang to renovate backpacker area at $1.6 mln

 

A part of An Thuong backpacker precinct in Ngu Hanh Son District, Da Nang. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

Authorities in Da Nang City have approved a plan to renovate the An Thuong backpacker zone at a cost of VND36.5 billion ($1.61 million) to boost tourism.

The area, which straddles Tran Bach Dang, An Thuong 2, Hoang Ke Viem, Ngo Thi Si, and Vo Nguyen Giap streets in Ngu Hanh Son District, will have surveillance cameras and a wifi system installed.

Trees will be planted.

Lighting systems will be installed.

The work is scheduled for completion next year.

The backpacker zone was launched in 2018 and has become popular with tourists.

The city is one of five localities that fully vaccinated foreign tourists are allowed to visit under a vaccine passport trial program. The others are Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Quang Nam, and Quang Ninh provinces.

The city is expected to receive over 11,000 foreign tourists this month.

Da Nang authorities also plan to spend VND1.3 million to improve the electricity system and other infrastructure along Vo Nguyen Giap Street to serve the night economy and tourism events on My An beach.

Da Nang received more than 8.6 million visitors in 2019 and earned revenues of VND31 trillion from tourism.

Vietnam to welcome first Thai vaccine passport tourists this month

 

South Korean tourists walk inside Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Long Beach in Phu Quoc Island, November 22, 2021. Photo courtesy of Vinpearl

Vietnam is expected to welcome the first group of Thai tourists under an ongoing vaccine passport trial program this month, a top tourism official says.

Vietnamese tourism officials would work with Thai counterparts to set up a ‘travel bubble’ scheme as Thailand has proved successful in welcoming international tourists amid Covid-19 with the ‘Phuket Sandbox’ model, Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said at a seminar on Vietnam’s tourism recovery plan.

The ‘Phuket Sandbox" program allows travelers who are fully vaccinated to enter the island city of Phuket without quarantine from July 1 and the tourism model has since been expanded across Thailand. Foreign tourists with vaccine passports from over 60 countries and territories, including Vietnam, are exempt from mandatory quarantine upon arrival.

The Vietnamese government also plans to resume regular international flights to 15 countries and territories with high vaccination rates, including Thailand, from December.

Thailand was Vietnam's fastest growing tourist market before the pandemic, with the number of visitors from that country rising by 46 percent year-on-year to 509,000 in 2019.

In less than three weeks of international tourism reopening under the vaccine passport program, Vietnam has welcomed 978 foreign tourists to Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa, and Kien Giang.

"This is a good sign of tourism recovery during the new normal period and proves that Vietnam remains a favorite and attractive destination for foreign tourists," Khanh said.

Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang and Quang Nam are three of five localities that are allowed to welcome fully vaccinated foreign tourists from November onwards. The two other localities are Quang Ninh and Da Nang.

By the end of December, Da Nang is expected to welcome 11,500 foreign tourists followed by Khanh Hoa with 9,400 and Kien Giang's Phu Quoc Island with 3,500.

Speaking at the seminar, Nguyen Quoc Ky, CEO and chairman of tour company Vietravel, said international visitors arriving in Vietnam was really a good sign, but the small number of tourists in November was not enough to restore the tourism industry to health after a hiatus of nearly two years due to border closures.

He suggested that the industry set up a travel bubble with ASEAN countries and focus on South Korean and Japanese tourists, Vietnam’s biggest tourism feeder markets.

Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and grounded international flights in March 2020, and has since allowed entry only to Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts, investors and highly-skilled workers.

The country recorded a 79 percent year-on-year decline in the number of foreign visitors in 2020. It welcomed just 3.83 million foreign visitors last year against a record 18 million in 2019.

Pandemic reprieve allows Hanoians a weekend blast

 

A group of foreigners from Hanoi visit Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, November 28, 2021. Photo courtesy of Lux Group

With Hanoi and other northern localities easing Covid travel restrictions, many Hanoians flocked to camping sites in suburban areas or luxury resorts and even cruise ships for their weekend retreat.

Huong Giang, a resident of Ha Dong District, chose the Ba Vi National Park, about 60 km west of Hanoi's center, to go camping with her family and enjoy the blooming wild sunflower season.

Around 10 a.m. as they approached their destination, the road leading to the national park was jammed with vehicles moving slowly because many cars stopped along the road to take pictures of the wild sunflowers.

Giang said there was a large crowd of campers in the national park on Sunday, with many not bothering to wear face masks.

A representative of the Center for Environmental Education and Service of Ba Vi National Park said that since the beginning of November, it has welcomed more than 25,000 visitors, mainly on weekends.

During this year's wildflower season, the number of visitors to the national park was still much less than the same period in 2020 (65,000) and in 2019, the year before the onset of the pandemic, when the park welcomed 80,000 visitors.

The management board of the park has mobilized forces to manage traffic and remind visitors to comply with pandemic prevention measures. Before entering the park, visitors are required to make medical declarations and maintain distances between groups. Visitors from outside Hanoi need to furnish a negative result for Covid done within three days before arrival.

The Ba Vi National Park is crowded with campers on November 28, 2021. Photo courtesy by Huong Giang

Other camping sites along the Red River and in suburban areas also welcomed large crowds of Hanoians last week.

Meanwhile, resorts in northern provinces and cruise ships in Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site, reported that they were fully booked for weekends, mostly by Hanoians.

Pham Ha, chairman of Hanoi-based tour operator Lux Group, said after Quang Ninh authorities allowed in tourists from medium risk areas, or yellow zones, many Hanoians have booked cruise tour packages in Ha Long.

On Sunday, a group of 30 foreigners from Hanoi enjoyed a cruise tour on the five-star Emperor Legacy Ha Long ship to explore the beauty of Ha Long Bay with its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone pillars topped by rainforests.

Ha said a cruise tour on Ha Long Bay that is scheduled to depart on December 4 was fully booked.

Quang Ninh Province, famous for high-end resorts and luxury cruise ships, reopened domestic tourism from Nov. 1 and welcomed fully vaccinated tourists from areas with low and medium Covid risk.

A representative of the Avana Retreat in Hoa Binh’s Mai Chau District, famed for is terraced rice fields, said all of its rooms were fully booked on weekends from now until the New Year holiday.

The resort’s guests are mainly from Hanoi who usually stay for two nights. Some families have booked longer stays of up to a week, the rep said.

Nguyen Duc Viet, CEO of travel agency WE Travel, said other popular resorts near Hanoi, like the Serena Resort Kim Boi, Mai Chau Ecolodge, Bakhan Resort Mai Chau in Hoa Binh and Melia Ba Vi and Tomodachi Jackfruit Village on the outskirts of Hanoi have been always full on weekends.

However, Hanoi has been witnessing a rise in daily infections over the past few days. During the fourth coronavirus wave since late April, the capital city has recorded over 10,000 infections.

Vietnam Airlines debuts regular US direct flight

 

The HCMC-San Francisco flight takes off from Tan Son Nhat Airport on November 28, 2021. Photo courtesy of Vietnam Airlines

A regular non-stop flight from Ho Chi Minh City touched down in San Francisco Monday morning, the first operated by a Vietnamese carrier to the U.S.

The flight carrying over 30 passengers, mainly Vietnamese Americans, took off from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC at 8:57 p.m. Sunday (local time) and landed at San Francisco International Airport at 7:42 p.m. Sunday (local time), after a 13,000-kilometer journey.

"The success of the inaugural commercial direct flight to the U.S. marked a new milestone for Vietnam Airlines in particular and Vietnam's aviation in general," said President and CEO of Vietnam Airlines, Le Hong Ha, in a statement.

Ivar C. Satero, Director of San Francisco Airport, said in the statement released by Vietnam Airlines: "We are honored to be the first airport in the U.S. to offer nonstop regular flights to Vietnam. We are proud to offer a world-class experience with seamless access throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and grateful to Vietnam Airlines for making San Francisco their first U.S. destination."

Initially, Vietnam Airlines will conduct two flights per week from HCMC to San Francisco using the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, the two most modern wide-body aircraft.

The airline aims to increase the frequency to seven flights per week after the Covid-19 pandemic is brought under control and the government agrees to resume regular commercial flights. Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam plans to reopen regular international flights from next month.

Vietnam Airlines also plans to open a new route connecting Los Angeles to Hanoi and HCMC, Vietnam's two biggest metropolises.

There are nearly 24,000 Vietnamese students and approximately 2.2 million overseas Vietnamese living in the U.S., according to official statistics.

From Nov. 8, Vietnamese tourists are allowed to enter the U.S. but must furnish a certificate proving they had been fully vaccinated and present a negative test result obtained within 72 hours. Although not mandatory, the American government still encourages people to self-isolate for 7-10 days upon arrival.

The U.S. has one of the most stringent aviation standards in the world. There are around 20 airlines operating routes between Vietnam and the U.S.

HCMC named Asia's best MICE tourism destination

 

A delivery man waits in front of the four-star Norfolk Hotel in HCMC's District 1, July 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Nam

Ho Chi Minh City was named Asia's leading destination for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions at the annual World MICE Awards.

It beat Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Seoul, and Singapore to claim the title, the organizing board announced Sunday.

The Asian region only comprised countries as far west as Pakistan, with Iran and countries further west belonging to the ‘Middle East’. The Indian Ocean and Oceania were also separate categories.

The awards were based on votes cast by industry professionals, the media and consumers.

Sheraton Grand Danang Resort in the central city of Da Nang won in Asia's Best Incentive Hotel category.

Sheraton Grand Danang Resort in Da Nang City is seen from above. Photo courtesy of the resort

Vietnam Airlines was the winner of Asia's Best MICE Airline award.

The World MICE Awards, a sister event of the prestigious World Travel Awards, was launched last year.

The MICE market is among the top targets in the Vietnamese government's tourism development strategy, and has grown rapidly in recent years.

4 resorts with unique designs that cost from $43 a night

 Some resorts impress visitors with their creative and unique designs including bungalows designed in the shape of rattan baskets and buildings with hanging gardens.

The Hmong Village resort in Quang Ba District, around 50 kilometers northeast of Ha Giang Town in the epynomous province, has 25 bungalows surrounded by green trees and picturesque natural scenery.

One of its highlights is bungalows designed in the shape of rattan baskets that Hmong women sling on their backs to carry rice and other things.

The 20-hectare resort opened its door to tourists in July last year.

All its rooms use eco-friendly materials and have distinctive Hmong looks.

It also has a community guesthouse that can accommodate up to 40 people.

A night's stay at the bungalows costs from VND2.4 million ($105.31).

On Cat Co beach in the northern port city of Hai Phong, Flamingo Cat Ba Resort attracts visitors with hanging gardens on the sides of its buildings comprising 50,000 trees and vines.

The buildings are connected by a bridge from where visitors can admire the pristine beach and turquoise waters.

The resort has 256 rooms, 60 sky villas and a presidential villa on the top floor.

Fairly close to the resort are tourist attractions such as Cat Ba National Park and Viet Hai ancient village, or visitors can go kayaking or on a cruise in Lan Ha Bay, which is relatively unknown compared to its world-famous cousin, Ha Long Bay.

The resort offers a two-day-one-night package for VND990,000 ($43.44) per person.

An Lam Retreats Ninh Van Bay in the central province of Khanh Hoa, home to resort towns Nha Trang and Cam Ranh, has a restaurant in the shape of a lotus flower on the sea. It is made of wood and bamboo.

The resort is located on a peninsula in Ninh Van Bay near pristine forests, natural streams and a long stretch of coastline that offers privacy and safety amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The only way to reach the resort is by boat.

It has 37 villas built of wood right by the sea with one to three bedrooms. In this picture are three-bedroom villas with private swimming pools overlooking the bay, ideal for family vacations.

Visitors can also go kayaking and on sunset cruises, visit lobster and fish farms, hike by the stream, or simply relax in the spa. The villas cost from VND6.6 million a night.

Hot Mineral Springs I-Resort Nha Trang in Vinh Ngoc District, Nha Trang, has lush green vegetation, a waterfall and a water park.

It has nine bungalows and five villas built from eco-friendly materials such as wood, stone, nipa leaves, and recycled door frames. All room types are equipped with one or two semi-outdoor baths with natural hot mineral water.

Rooms cost from VND4 million a night. Visitors can enjoy mineral and mud baths or a 60-minute massage from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and visit the mineral springs and water park.

The resort is set to reopen in early December.

Committing to posterity a time when time stood still

 Duong Lam Village is a living daily life museum with a lifestyle that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries. A bewitched Hanoian captures its images for posterity.

Two women dressed in traditional peasant attire walk through the village gate.

Tran Quoc Trung said he was motivated to make this collection by fear that Duong Lam Village would become a victim of modern urbanization in the near future.

The village, about 45 kilometers west of downtown Hanoi, still preserves many of its historical and cultural features. It boasts 956 ancient houses, including those built in 1649, 1703 and around 1850.

Though there are many entrances to the village, the Mong Phu Gate remains a popular starting point for tourists. This is reportedly the only ancient village gate left intact in northern Vietnam.

The Mong Phu communal house is the heart of the village and village life. Legend has it that it was built on the forehead of a dragon in 1684 under the reign of King Le Hien Tong in the shape of a capital "I." The stately building hosts public events, festivities and meetings.

Amongst tens of thousands of Vietnamese villages, Duong Lam is the first to be recognized as a national architectural heritage site.

An elderly woman tosses rice on a flat bamboo basket to remove tailings from rice grains.

In Duong Lam, most young people have moved to big cities and industrial hubs to earn their living, while the older villagers stay at home and live mainly on rice cultivation.

Old women in the village still preserve the long-standing custom of chewing betel with areca nuts.

In Vietnam, the custom of offering betel and areca is said to date back to the reign of the Hung Kings. It is associated with the “Legend of Betel and Areca” about a wife's fidelity to her husband and the love between two twin brothers; therefore, the custom symbolizes love, brotherhood, family, and happiness.

Younger Vietnamese no longer chew betel and it is a habit dying out.

An elderly couple prepare to make soy sauce, a skill that has been passed through generations.

In the past every household in the village used to make and store jars of soy sauce to use all year round. Today they also sell the condiment to outsiders.

It is made with glutinous rice, salt, soybean and water. The villagers say the sauce is especially delicious if made with rainwater.

The villagers always make their soy sauce in May and June thanks to favorable weather conditions.

Women or men stirring huge earthen cauldrons containing tuong are a common sight. Tuong is a popular dipping sauce in northern Vietnamese countryside and is also used as a condiment for cooking.

Villagers are at their busiest during the rice harvest season.

6 camping destinations near Hanoi amid scenic nature

 With Hanoi allowing outdoor activities, here is a list of popular camping destinations amid green nature and with fresh air for a weekend getaway.

Ba Vi National Park

An hour and a half away from the capital, the 11,000-hectare Ba Vi National Park is a popular weekend destination that allows people to reconnect with nature. Located in the Ba Vi mountain range, the park has a rich and diverse range of tropical and subtropical flora and fauna, making it an ideal choice for camping.

Entry tickets to the park cost VND60,000 ($2.64) for adults and VND10,000 ($0.44) for children. Visitors can bring tents, barbecues, tables, and chairs or rent them at VND60,000-450,000.

If visitors want to camp overnight in the park, they have to pay a fee of VND50,000 per adult. At night the temperature drops, and so it is advisable to carry sleeping bags, blankets and warm clothes.

There are some good areas for camping overnight such as the cactus garden and pine forest areas and Ngoc Hoa cave. The park management has increased night patrols, and so safety is not a concern.

Between mid-November and early December is an ideal time to go camping since wild yellow flowers bloom in Ba Vi.

Dong Mo Discovery

For families with children, Dong Mo Discovery inside the Vietnam Ethnic Culture and Tourism Village in Son Tay Commune, around one hour from Hanoi center, is an ideal choice. The camping spot is a longan garden next to Dong Mo Lake, which allows campers to try their hand at water sports.

The camping fee here is VND60,000 per adult and VND30,000 for children aged six to 10. Visitors can rent a full camping package including tables and chairs and tents at VND150,000 per adult and VND60,000 per child. Grills are available at VND100,000.

Water bicycles and swan boat rides cost VND50,000 per person.

Son Tinh Camp

Son Tinh (Mountain Spirit) Camp in Van Hoa Commune in Ba Vi District spreads over an area of seven hectares, and has green forests, hills, a swimming pool, and outdoor sporting areas.

Renting a camping spot here costs VND60,000 per adult and VND30,000 for kids from three to 10. Camping overnight costs VND110,000 per adult and VND60,000 per child.

Visitors can rent camping tents for VND200,000-800,000 per night for two to 10 people.

There are also other choices such as a stilt house and conical-shaped houses starting at VND800,000.

Inside the site is a small pool for kids, who can also take part in outdoor activities such as sasuke and Tarzan.

At night the camping site screens an outdoor movie.

Nature Key Retreat

Nature Key Retreat Dong Mo in Son Tay Commune offers camping packages for two days and a night with a shuttle bus, campsite, tents, equipment, fun activities such as fishing, cycling and kite flying, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and outdoor movies with popcorn.

They cost from VND1.29 million.

The ticket price for people coming on their own or camping for one day is VND129,000 per adult and VND90,000 per child, and they can use the swimming pool, football field, grass slide, children's playing area, and pontoon boat.

A tent costs from VND300,000 for a day. The site has a dinosaur garden and numerous outdoor sporting activities for kids.

Campers can hire boats to admire the pristine natural landscape around Dong Mo Lake.

Ham Lon Mountain

Some 50 kilometers to the north of Hanoi is Ham Lon Mountain (Pig's Tooth) in Soc Son District rising to a height of 462 meters. Sometimes called “the roof of the capital,” it has become a favored camping destination in recent years.

Some families living in the area have earned a living by renting camping equipment such as tents, barbecues, dry firewood, and food. A tent costs VND100,000-320,000 for two to 16 people for 24 hours. Tables and chairs, blankets and stoves are available from VND30,000.

Visitors can trek up the mountain, kayak on Nui Bau Lake at its foot or simply gather with friends to set up a barbecue and escape the cacophony of the city.

Sixdoong

For people who do not want to go too far from Hanoi, Sixdoong in the Red River Rock Flower Garden at the end of Au Co Street is a good option.

It has a large lawn and tents for visitors to drink coffee and other beverages and chat with friends amid the clean air and idyllic surroundings

You can also organize parties at this place. Tents cost VND299,000 for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or 5 p.m.-11 p.m., and VND599,000 for the whole day.

Drinks cost VND25,000-55,000.

No quarantine needed when int'l flights resume, experts suggest

 

Foreigners wait to check in at Da Nang Airport in central Vietnam, March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong

Experts are suggesting that the government follows countries in the region and lift mandatory quarantine rule for international passengers as the country prepares to reopen regular flights from next month.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had informed Japanese business leaders that Vietnam plans to reopen international flights early December, including routes to and from Japan, one of Vietnam's biggest feeder tourism markets.

If the plan is implemented, the resumption of regular international flights will take place one month earlier than a proposal by the Ministry of Transport.

The ministry had proposed that international commercial flight are resumed from January to 15 countries and territories with high Covid-19 vaccination rates, including Asian economies like Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore.

Under its plan, fully vaccinated passengers would have to undergo a seven-day quarantine at paid facilities upon arrival.

Bui Doan Ne, general secretary of the Vietnam Aviation Business Association (VABA), said Vietnam should consider removing the quarantine rule for passengers who have been fully vaccinated in the first phase of reopening regular international flights.

"The seven-day quarantine requirement will prevent international passengers from flying as no one wants to come to Vietnam to stay for a week in a hotel," Ne said.

Vietnam has committed to accepting "vaccine passports" of many countries and territories where the pandemic situation is under control, not imposing centralized quarantine requirement on arrivals from these countries.

It is necessary to apply the same policy for passengers from key markets of aviation and tourism, he argued.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Vietnam currently accepts Covid-19 vaccine passports issued by 72 countries and territories, and is discussing the issue with 80 others. The U.S., the U.K., Japan, and Belarus have accepted Vietnam's vaccine passport.

Nguyen Huy Nga, a former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, said fully vaccinated passengers don’t need to undergo a seven-day quarantine on arrival.

Nga said the reopening of international flights is now an urgent issue as other countries around the world have reopened their borders and resumed commercial flights with relaxed quarantine requirements.

For example, Thailand currently exempts mandatory quarantine for foreign tourists with a vaccine passport from over 60 countries and territories, including Vietnam, and only requires them to furnish a negative Covid test result before departure. Foreign tourists arriving in Thailand only stay one night at their hotel. If their PCR tests show a negative PCR result, they can travel freely.

Singapore currently exempts mandatory quarantine for tourists from many Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam.

Medical capacity

However, Nga also proposed that the government ensures medical infrastructure and treatment capacity when reopening international flights.

"We should be concerned if foreign passengers are found infected with Covid-19 upon arriving in Vietnam, how we would treat them and how much should be paid for treatment."

Thailand has stipulated that foreign tourists have to furnish medical or travel insurance including coverage for Covid-19 treatment worth at least $50,000 upon arrival; while Singapore requires insurance of up to $100,000.

Vo Huy Cuong, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, said aviation authorities will closely monitor Thailand's experience in reopening aviation and tourism.

"In the future, based on practical experience, aviation authorities will propose that government exempts mandatory quarantine for those having received two doses of a Covid vaccine or having recovered from the disease," Cuong said.

Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa and Quang Nam, home to many tourist hotspots, have begun welcoming the first groups of foreign tourists under a trial vaccine passport program since last week.

Dozens of other flights are expected to bring in thousands of foreign tourists to the country by the end of this year.

Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and grounded international flights in March 2020, and has since allowed entry only to Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts, investors and highly-skilled workers.