Vietnam has lifted restrictions on international flights from February 15. Ruslan Baradash / Unsplash
Vietnam has lifted restrictions on international flights from February 15. Ruslan Baradash / Unsplash
Vietnam has lifted restrictions on international flights from February 15. Ruslan Baradash / Unsplash
Vietnam has lifted restrictions on international flights from February 15. Ruslan Baradash / Unsplash

Travel

Covid-19 Travel

Vietnam lifts Covid-related international flight ban: what you need to know

The South-East Asian country is restoring flight capacity to pre-pandemic levels

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

February 15, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Vietnam has lifted coronavirus restrictions on international flights for fully vaccinated passengers from Tuesday.

The country's aviation authority made the announcement on Monday.

“Vietnam will lift restrictions on international flights starting February 15. The frequency of flights will be restored to pre-pandemic level,” said state-run newspaper Tuoi Tre.

Commercial passenger flights can now arrive in Vietnam from any country for the first time since it sealed its borders in March 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 via air travel.

Dinh Viet Son, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, confirmed that partner destinations had been informed of the move and all had agreed to resume commercial flights, other than China.

South Korean tourists arrive at Phu Quoc International Airport, as the Vietnamese island welcomed its first international tourists following a Covid-19 vaccine passport scheme. AFP
South Korean tourists arrive at Phu Quoc International Airport, as the Vietnamese island welcomed its first international tourists following a Covid-19 vaccine passport scheme. AFP

Vietnam has remained tightly sealed off to most of the world since the onset of the global pandemic. However, this has severely hampered the South-East Asian nation's tourism economy.

In November, some tourists returned to the resort island of Phu Quoc under strictly controlled Covid-19 tourism pilot programmes.

Is Vietnam open for travel?

Shop houses along the riverfront in Hoi An, a Unesco World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Getty Images / Lonely Planet Images
Shop houses along the riverfront in Hoi An, a Unesco World Heritage Site in Vietnam. Getty Images / Lonely Planet Images

In December, the nation eased entry restrictions for travellers from 15 destinations, including France, South Korea, the UK, the US and Germany, under coronavirus vaccine passport schemes. Travellers flying to Vietnam from one of the 15 approved countries must be fully vaccinated and have a negative PCR test result.

Quarantine requirements were also eased, with vaccinated tourists only needing to self-isolate for three days instead of the previous 14 days.

But no updated travel rules for tourists coming from other international destinations have been published since the announcement. Vietnam previously said it would fully reopen to tourists in June this year.

Following Monday's announcement, the country is the latest South-East Asian country to begin to ease Covid-19 related travel restrictions.

In January, the Philippines announced it would reopen to vaccinated tourists in February and Malaysia is looking to fully reopen its borders next month to tourists who have been double-jabbed.

The world's top 20 safest low-cost airlines:

  • AirlineRatings.com has released its 2022 top 10 of the world's safest low-cost airlines. First on the alphabetical list is Air Arabia, the first budget carrier in the UAE.
    AirlineRatings.com has released its 2022 top 10 of the world's safest low-cost airlines. First on the alphabetical list is Air Arabia, the first budget carrier in the UAE.
  • A Thai Air Asia Airbus A320-200 plane at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok. Reuters
    A Thai Air Asia Airbus A320-200 plane at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok. Reuters
  • Allegiant Air operates in the US and is North America's 14th biggest airline. AFP
    Allegiant Air operates in the US and is North America's 14th biggest airline. AFP
  • An airBaltic Airbus A220-300 at Munich International Airport
    An airBaltic Airbus A220-300 at Munich International Airport
  • Incident records, crash records and fleet age were among the factors used to compile the list. UK operator easyJet has 31 planes in a fleet that flies throughout Europe. AFP
    Incident records, crash records and fleet age were among the factors used to compile the list. UK operator easyJet has 31 planes in a fleet that flies throughout Europe. AFP
  • flydubai operates to more than 90 destinations from its Dubai hub. Jeff Topping for The National
    flydubai operates to more than 90 destinations from its Dubai hub. Jeff Topping for The National
  • Colorado carrier Frontier Airlines flies to more than 100 US destinations and employs more than 3,000 staff. Getty
    Colorado carrier Frontier Airlines flies to more than 100 US destinations and employs more than 3,000 staff. Getty
  • Jetstar Group, launched by Australia's flag carrier Qantas, has operated out of Melbourne since 2017. AFP
    Jetstar Group, launched by Australia's flag carrier Qantas, has operated out of Melbourne since 2017. AFP
  • JetBlue, which has its headquarters in New York, is North America's seventh-biggest airline by passengers carried. AFP
    JetBlue, which has its headquarters in New York, is North America's seventh-biggest airline by passengers carried. AFP
  • An IndiGo Airlines aircraft in Ahmedabad, India. The low-cost carrier is the country's largest passenger airline. Reuters
    An IndiGo Airlines aircraft in Ahmedabad, India. The low-cost carrier is the country's largest passenger airline. Reuters
  • Since its formation in 1984, Irish carrier Ryanair has grown to be one of the giants of low-cost travel, with a fleet of more than 400 and bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. AFP
    Since its formation in 1984, Irish carrier Ryanair has grown to be one of the giants of low-cost travel, with a fleet of more than 400 and bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. AFP
  • Singapore Airlines' low-cost subsidiary Scoot Airlines ranks in the top 20. Getty Images
    Singapore Airlines' low-cost subsidiary Scoot Airlines ranks in the top 20. Getty Images
  • Southwest is the world's largest low-cost airline. AP
    Southwest is the world's largest low-cost airline. AP
  • India's SpiceJet flies to 64 destinations, including 52 domestic and 12 international routes. EPA
    India's SpiceJet flies to 64 destinations, including 52 domestic and 12 international routes. EPA
  • Spirit Airlines, one of the largest low-cost carriers in the US. Bloomberg
    Spirit Airlines, one of the largest low-cost carriers in the US. Bloomberg
  • Vueling, Spain's largest airline, has hubs in Barcelona and Rome. AFP
    Vueling, Spain's largest airline, has hubs in Barcelona and Rome. AFP
  • VietJet Air flies to 46 destinations from Hanoi in Vietnam. AFP
    VietJet Air flies to 46 destinations from Hanoi in Vietnam. AFP
  • Volaris Airlines is the second largest airline in Mexico after flag carrier Aeromexico and the main operator for domestic flights. AFP
    Volaris Airlines is the second largest airline in Mexico after flag carrier Aeromexico and the main operator for domestic flights. AFP
  • Canada's WestJet airlines operates more than 700 North American flights a day, carrying more than 66,000 passengers. AFP
    Canada's WestJet airlines operates more than 700 North American flights a day, carrying more than 66,000 passengers. AFP
  • Wizz Air, a Hungarian airline that flies to 44 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and that has a subsidiary in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, rounded the original top 10 list and is one of the world's safest budget airlines. AFP
    Wizz Air, a Hungarian airline that flies to 44 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and that has a subsidiary in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, rounded the original top 10 list and is one of the world's safest budget airlines. AFP

 

 

TCL INFO

Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan

Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Updated: February 15, 2022, 9:41 AM
VietnamCoronavirus