Vietnam to open air borders to nine countries from 1 January

The Vietnamese government has approved the resumption of international flights to and from nine destinations from 1 January 2022.

From the start of the year, Vietnam will open its air borders to either San Francisco or Los Angeles in the United States, plus a raft of Asian destinations including Singapore, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Vientiane in Laos, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei, according to VNExpress.

The Ministry of Transport had been pushing for flights to resume as of 15 December, with additional routes to and from Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow and Sydney from 1 January.

While that proposal was rejected, the new year will see Vietnam take a major step forward towards reopening with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam reportedly instructing the health ministry to scrap a mandatory 7-day hotel quarantine requirement on all international arrivals and allow them to self-isolate instead. Vietnam is also in negotiations with more countries for mutual recognition of vaccine passports.

The country recently took its first tentative steps towards reopening, welcoming two planeloads of guests from the US to Quang Nam province, home to integrated resort Hoiana, and a group from South Korea to Phu Quoc, home to Corona Resort & Casino, last month.