PHNOM PENH: Vietnam is looking to take an important step forward in meeting the new normal by opening more flight routes to the Kingdom. The resumption of flights is proposed for the 15th of December. This would be an essential boost top both trade & tourism.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has submitted to Prime Minister Hun Sen a proposal to resume international flights from the Vietnamese starting mid-December. The first phase that will be conducted for two weeks is set to commence on 15 December during which regular flights between Viet Nam and destinations with a high level of pandemic safety.

Flights will open not only for Cambodia but also networking across the region to such important locations as Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok & selected countries in the United States. It is the network of flights that is crucial to the success of the relaunch of Cambodia’s tourist industry as it is very reliant on passengers making connecting flights to reach the Kingdom, at current cities such as Bangkok are a critical hub to transit tourists to the Kingdom.

The second phase is planned to be conducted for a month starting next month. The transport ministry has said to ensure the plan’s feasibility, it is necessary to gradually lift quarantine rules on passengers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from the disease, and have a negative result of rapid antigen or RT-PCR tests within 72 hours prior to their flights. The opening of all routes not only in Asia is expected to be a methodical process.