Vietnam: The Hoiana casino resort to receive overseas customers

The Hoiana casino resort has announced it will be allowed to receive foreign tourists once the ‘safe tourism’ programme is approved.

Vietnam.- The province of Quang Nam, one of the major tourist destinations in Vietnam, has said it is ready to accept tourists, and the Hoiana club resort will be one of the locations to host international guests.

In dialogue with GGRAsia, Steve Wolstenholme, chief executive and president of Hoiana, said: “We are ready for domestic travellers by enhancing our safety programme, and encouraging vaccination for staff as well as offering several attractive promotions for luxurious stays and experiences.”

He said Vietnam’s vaccine passport programme has not yet been approved but that Hoiana will be one of the earliest resorts to welcome international guests. Hoi An, the city in Quang Nam where the Hoiana resort is located, hopes to start welcoming fully vaccinated foreign tourists from February.

Wolstenholme said the company is encouraging its staff to get vaccinated and he highlighted the IR’s safety programme. It is still unknown if fully vaccinated tourists will be exempt from quarantine-on-arrival and whether they will be limited to remaining on the grounds of the Hoiana resort or to visit specific sites in Hoi An city.

Vietnam’s tourism sector has been deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The gaming industry was also one of the hardest hit by restrictions as the government has tight restrictions on locals entering casinos.

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.