Vietnam: Corona casino receives first visitors from South Korea

Corona Resort and Casino has announced that it has welcomed the first group of South Korean visitors as part of a pilot programme.

Vietnam.- Corona Resort and Casino on the island of Phu Quoc has become one of the first destinations in Vietnam visited by international tourists under a pilot ‘safe tourism’ programme launched by the government. According to a press release, more than 200 Korean tourists arrived at Phu Quoc for a five-day and four-night vacation at Phu Quoc United Center.

Those visiting through the programme are the first foreign tourists to arrive in Vietnam since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam announced the pilot last month allowing fully vaccinated overseas tourists from certain countries to skip entry quarantine.

Corona Resort and Casino is one of the only two casinos that permit Vietnamese citizens to gamble. The complex is located on the southern island of Phu Quoc and includes many non-gaming facilities. Phu Quoc is expected to receive 20 international monthly flights in the short term.

Its promoter Vinigroup, said: “This is an important start marking an acceleration in efforts to recover the national tourism industry as well as national economic development.”

In March, casino operators asked the government to expand Vietnamese citizens’ access to casinos in major tourist destinations such as Quang Nam and Ba Ria-Vung Tau to help casinos face the loss of revenue from tourists owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the government has said the current scheme won’t be expanded.