A group of 226 Russian tourists arrived in Khanh Hoa Province on a pilot vaccine passport programme, the first group to visit the south-central coastal province in two years since the start of the pandemic.

Welcome ceremony for the flight from Moscow on Sunday at Cam Ranh International Airport. — VNA/VNS Photo

The Azur Air flight, carrying a total of 325 passengers, departed from Vnukovo, Moscow, Russia, and touched down at Cam Ranh International Airport early this morning.

Permanent Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Province People's Committee Le Huu Hoang along with heads of tourism authorities and the airport came directly to the aircraft’s stairs to welcome the delegation with bouquets and traditional Vietnamese conical hats.

After landing, visitors quickly went through immigration procedures, checking for installation of Viet Nam’s COVID-19 app PC-COVID, underwent a quick medical screening before departing for their resorts in the Bai Dai area of Cam Lam District – Selectum Noa Resort, Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa, and Vinpearl Nha Trang.

During their stay in Khánh Hoa, the Russian tourists will be able to visit and experience many famous tourist sites and attractions in the beach town such as VinWonders Nha Trang amusement park, Ana Marina Nha Trang, a sea tour on Nha Trang Bay, Hoa Lan island, Yang Bay waterfall, a city tour, shopping and dining at sites that have been approved for the reception of international tourists.

A tourist who gave her name as Natalia said she was more than happy to return to Việt Nam for the sixth time after nearly two years of waiting.

She and her family of four immediately signed up for the tour when hearing of Viet Nam’s tourism reopening plan even when movement is still heavily limited, staying inside a resort and being confined to a predefined closed tour schedule.

“I like to stay in Khanh Hoa for its beautiful natural landscape and warm weather. Also, there is a lot of good seafood to enjoy here,” Natalia said.

It is expected that between December 26, 2021 – March 23, 2022, Azur Air and Anex Viet Nam, the tourism agency that organised the Russian trip, will conduct 26 flights bringing Russian tourists from Moscow to Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa with a frequency of two flights a week, and each flight with 320-340 passengers.

The first Russian tourists on Azur Air flight touched down at Cam Ranh International Airport, Khanh Hoa Province, after two years. — VNA/VNS Photo Phan Sau

Nguyen Ngoc Luong, Sales Director of Anex Viet Nam, said the Russian tourists will variously stay between 7-26 days.

This is currently the winter holiday time in Russia, and he expects that the model could expand to welcome tourists from other localities of Russia as well.

Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, head of Khanh Hoa tourism department, said the tour is a significant milestone of the province’s reopening efforts after nearly two years.

The tour has reaffirmed the ‘outstanding draw’ of Khanh Hoa as a safe, attractive destination with traditional markets such as Russia and Eastern Europe.

This model of linkages between tour operators and various other hospitality and accommodation units to serve a diverse range of tourist segments within a same flight is also something that needs to be promoted for Khánh Hoà to have its tourism boost in the new normal, Thanh noted.

“After Russia, we hope that many tourist groups from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, etc. will also arrive here in Khánh Hoà Province,” she added.

Uzbeks tourists in Phu Quoc

About 210 Uzbeks came to the Phu Quoc United Centre on Saturday. They will experience a nine-day holiday in destinations which were allowed to welcome international visitors in a separate area, ensuring no contact with the community and not affecting other tourists’ activities.

International visitors go to Phu Quoc Island. — VNA/VNS Photo

It is expected that from now until the end of February next year, the Phu Quoc United Centre will receive eight other delegations from this country.

To bring maximum peace of mind to visitors, in addition to strictly following instructions in the “vaccine passport”, Vinpearl maintains strict hygiene and pandemic prevention procedures.

The events to welcome international visitors to famous tourist sites are optimistic signals, contributing to promoting the recovery of national tourism, gradually developing the economy, and adapting to the "new normal" context.

Source: VNS