Travel

The Hanoitimes – Another 450 Japanese experts will come to Vietnam by the weekend.

A group of 150 Japanese experts have arrived in Vietnam as the two countries begin to relax travel restrictions on a mutual basis.

Japanese experts arrive in Van Don International Airport in northern Vietnam on June 25. Photo: Van Don airport

The group landed in Van Don airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Thursday afternoon, becoming the first out of 450 Japanese experts and businessmen to come to Vietnam this week.

The experts came in a flight by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines with the support of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) in Vietnam.

All passengers wore protective suits and informed authorities of their medical status upon entry. They had their body temperature scanned and their luggage sanitized. They will be quarantined for the next 14 days as per existing Covid-19 prevention protocol, VnExpress reported.

Reuters cited Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi Tuesday that Japan would partially ease travel restrictions to Vietnam, with flights between the two countries permitted from June 25-27.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that an agreement has been reached with Japan to gradually relax travel restrictions between the two countries.

Vietnam has been in talks with China, Japan, South Korea and some other countries and territories on gradually recommencing travel, first for experts, corporate managers, and skilled workers.

Due to the global health crisis, Vietnam has closed borders to foreign visitors from March 22 and suspended international flights since then, except for repatriation flights and now the arrival of foreign experts and skilled workers for major projects.

In a similar move, Japan has banned the entry of visitors from 111 countries and territories to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Japan was Vietnam’s fourth largest investor in 2019 after South Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore in terms of registered capital. It is Vietnam’s largest labor market, welcoming around 80,000 Vietnamese last year.

As of June 25, Japan recorded over 18,000 coronavirus cases and nearly 1,000 deaths. Vietnam confirmed 352 cases, with just 23 remaining active, and zero deaths.

The Hanoitimes – The resumption marks the first step in easing travel restrictions which are currently in place to stem the spread of Covid-19.

Japan will partially resume air travel with Vietnam, marking the first step in easing travel restrictions which are currently in place to stem the spread of Covid-19, according to Kyodo News .

Japan will partially resume air travel with Vietnam.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi made the announcement on June 23, adding three chartered flights carrying about 440 business people are scheduled from June 25 to 27, with Vietnam agreeing to accept travelers based on the travelers’ agreement to enhanced preventive measures, Motegi said at a press conference.

Vietnam Airlines’ flights have been arranged by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam. They will fly from Narita airport east of Tokyo to Van Don International Airport in northern Vietnam.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry said on June 19 that an agreement has been reached with Japan for the stepwise relax of travel restrictions between the two countries.

The two countries will discuss specific measures and procedures via diplomatic channels, the foreign ministry added.

Japan is considering easing the entry ban on travelers from Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand currently in place due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Japan News quoted a Japanese government source as saying on June 1.

The Japanese government is planning an approach under which business people and others in possession of documents certifying that they are negative for the coronavirus in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their countries will be allowed to enter Japan, and those who also test negative after arriving in Japan.

Japan currently has an entry ban in place for 111 countries and territories, which was implemented to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As of June 24, Japan has reported 17,968 Covid-19 cases and 955 deaths. Vietnam has recorded no deaths out of 349 patients, and no community transmission cases for over two months.

The Hanoitimes – The two countries will discuss specific measures and procedures via diplomatic channels.

The governments of Vietnam and Japan have agreed to gradually relax travel restrictions between the two countries, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on June 19.

Vietnam and Japan have agreed to gradually relax travel restrictions between the two countries. Photo: Vietnam Airlines.

The two countries will discuss specific measures and procedures via diplomatic channels, the MOFA added.

The ministry said the governments of Japan and Vietnam have closely cooperated in fighting Covid-19. The Vietnamese government highly appreciates important results the Japanese government has achieved in preventing the spread of the pandemic.

On May 25, Japan announced the lifting of the state of emergency. The Japanese government also highly spoke of the Vietnamese government for its success in containing Covid-19 and reporting no new Covid-19 infection in the community for over two months now.

The two sides agreed to continue boosting the bilateral strategic partnership in all aspects, fully complying with relevant regulations on Covid-19 prevention and control of each country.

Japan is considering easing the entry ban on travelers from Vietnam, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand currently in place due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Japan News quoted a Japanese government source as saying on June 1.

The Japanese government is planning an approach under which business people and others in possession of documents certifying that they are negative for coronavirus in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before leaving their countries will be allowed to enter Japan, and who also test negative after arriving in Japan, Japan News reported.

Hanoi (VNA) – Laguna Golf Lang Co in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue has become one of Vietnam’s first golf courses to join the network of Asian Tour Destinations .

To be eligible for its membership, Laguna Golf Lang Co has offered a comprehensive range of facilities and services to its members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year-round.

Among the core benefits, Asian Tour members will be able to play and practise at each venue, as well as enjoy direct engagement with the best golfers in the region.

Located within Laguna Lang Co international integrated resort , the 18-hole, par-71 championship course is home of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, featuring many of the region’s most decorated junior golfers.

Nestled between mountains and sea on a sandy strip of dune land that is perfect for golf, six-time Major champion Sir Nick has described the course as one of the finest pieces of architectural work./.

The Hanoitimes – Suga continues the predecessor’s foreign policy which is based on the concept of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Japan’s Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is planning to visit Vietnam and Indonesia around mid-October, Nikkei Asia has reported.

Japan has traditionally emphasized ties with Vietnam. Source photos by Reuters and Nikkei

It will be Suga’s first overseas trip since taking office earlier this month.

Mr. Suga would not make the final decision on whether to travel until after examining the coronavirus status at home and in the destinations. Vietnam has succeeded in containing the pandemic after going more than three weeks without locally-transmitted cases.

He is expected to focus on resuming international travel at talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Japan is already in talks with Vietnam about easing restrictions on business travel between the countries which have already reopened borders to expatriates.

Mr. Suga also wants to coordinate efforts with Vietnam and Indonesia regarding the South China Sea, as US-China military and economic tensions continue to heat up, Nikkei Asia reported, adding that Japan will likely try to appeal to ASEAN partners about securing regional stability in a bid to curb China’s growing regional ambitions.

The new Japanese prime minister is continuing the foreign policy of his predeccesor Abe Shinzo, which is based on the concept of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific.” It aims to strengthen deterrence against China by advocating the importance of democracy and other values, like the rule of law.

Vietnam and Indonesia are known for their friendly ties with Tokyo and Japan has traditionally emphasized its relationship with the two Southeast Asian countries.

After inaugurating his second administration in 2012, Mr. Abe also picked up these two nations for his first overseas trip.

This year, Vietnam is ASEAN chair while Indonesia is a member of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies.

Right after the election of Japan’s new cabinet, Hanoi said it wished to enhance the relationship with Japan to take the comprehensive and substantive strategic partnership to a new height.

International experts believe that whoever succeeds Abe Shinzo, Vietnam and Japan have ample reasons to widen and deepen their cooperation across a host of domains.

Much of Vietnam Airlines’ fleet has been grounded due to the pandemic

According to Le Hong Ha, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines, the carrier has been fully aware of its responsibility to preserve and develop its products and services to both maintain the economic vein of the country and promote its golden lotus logo to bolster Vietnamese aviation and promote the nation’s culture and tourism across the world.

As a bridge between regions and the world, Vietnam Airlines is committed to maximising its potentials to support domestic businesses in delivering their products to not only customers all over the country but also to numerous international friends.

In 2020, Vietnam Airlines has been reaffirming its position as the top-quality airline of the nation and continuously maintained its 4-star services according to international standards. At the emergence of the pandemic, the carrier immediately applied distinct solutions to ensure safety for passengers, such as limiting reusable items, disinfecting aircraft, and providing sterile towels on flights.

However, Vietnam Airlines has not been able to avoid business risks caused by the pandemic. After successfully reducing the spread of the disease, in the second quarter customers began to again pay for air services, while the company sought to generate crucial revenue from inland services. Hopes were high that the third quarter would be the time to make up for the initial losses of the year, but as the next wave of new infections hit, any expectations of recouping revenue had been diminished.

As a result, half of the 217 aircraft flying under the five brands under Vietnam Airlines’ patronage were grounded as nobody wanted to fly anymore. Ticket prices decreased by more than 50 per cent compared to last year. Dang Ngoc Hoa, chairman of Vietnam Airlines, also noticed that “a lot of complications arose from the airline’s status as a state-owned enterprise and the state’s intervention in the aviation market.”

According to Hoa, methods of managing domestic ticket prices, among others, are outdated and not suitable for Vietnam’s air transport market. Currently, airfares are being adjusted according to the Ministry of Transport’s Circular No. 17/2019/TT-BGTVT on issuing prices for passenger transport services on domestic air routes issued in 2019, with regulations for ceiling prices for domestic routes presenting hurdles and leading to a decreasing diversity of the market and deviations in competition.

This regulation, Hoa said, is affecting the “business efficiency of airlines and reducing their motivation during peak times.” Air services are strongly influenced by seasonal factors, with domestic flights during holidays like the Lunar New Year always seeing low-load flights in one direction. Thus, airlines complain that the application of ceiling prices makes them unable to adjust prices and balance out their revenue.

“Ceiling prices alter the flexibility of the market and lead to additional cost for the airlines,” Hoa said. Vietnam Airlines has invested in new generation aircraft, such as the A350 and Boeing 787, and its 4-star services are aiming to compete in the region and the world. But the governmental price ceilings limit the carrier’s efforts to attract those customers willing to pay higher fares, ultimately affecting service quality – an important factor in the sustainable development of airlines.

“Rarely does a country manage domestic airfares with ceilings like they are applied here in Vietnam,” Hoa explained.

Vietnam has been deeply integrating itself into the global economy, so it may be necessary to minimise the participation of state management in enterprises’ business activities. “The state should only manage flight fares for monopolistic airlines but should not apply these measures for competitive domestic routes. Let the market self-regulate,” Hoa suggested.

“The domestic market is oversupplied, but international airlines are still entering the domestic market,” he said, adding that in his opinion, Vietnamese airlines have not received “equal treatment” in foreign markets, where even technical barriers are imposed to restrict the operation of in- and outbound flights. For instance, Vietnam Airlines has opened flights to Beijing for many years, with a frequency of five flights per week. “We have proposed to increase these by two per week, but the Chinese side only allows flights at midnight, when no passengers are willing to fly,” Hoa added.

In the context of extensive international integration, maintaining an airline’s brand seems vital for the competitive edge of domestic carriers. Vietnam Airlines has been creative and sought new directions to maintain production and business.

As nearly all passenger flights had been suspended during the social distancing period, the airline quickly made full use of its wide-body fleet and removed seats for the first time to increase cargo capacity in both the aircraft’s dedicated cargo and passenger compartments.

Vietnam Airlines has also been coordinating with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Vietnam Tourism Association, and tour operators to build stimulus packages across the country. In a short time, the airline added 22 domestic routes to meet and boost travel local demand and developed new products and services such as the Flight Pass offering customers bundled tickets with discounts to several domestic destinations.

Along with the over 120 other national brands, Vietnam Airlines has not only maintained production and business activities amid difficult circumstances but also participated in community activities.

Up to now, the airline has carried out nearly 150 flights to safely repatriate 50,000 people from other countries, transported more than 60 tonnes of goods to support pandemic prevention measures, and nearly 150 tonnes of cargo to aid people in the central region affected by storms and floods.