First Chinese tourists in 3 years arrive in Vietnam's Khanh Hoa province, receive flowers and red envelopes

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A Vietjet Airlines flight carrying 214 Chinese tourists arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport in Vietnam’s south-central Khanh Hoa province, the first flight with Chinese tourists to arrive in the province in three years.

The report said Khanh Hoa province held a welcome ceremony for the tourists, each of whom received flowers and red envelopes from local officials.

File photo

The report also said that Vietjet Air is expected to carry about 35 flights to Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa province from January 23 to March 23, 2023, carrying Chinese tourists from Anhui, Hunan and Sichuan, with each flight carrying between 180 and 220 passengers.

Vietnam News Agency said that China has been one of the most important source markets for tourists in Khanh Hoa province in recent years. Before the New Crown epidemic, Chinese tourists ranked first in the number of international tourists received by Khanh Hoa province. According to statistics, the province received more than 2.5 million Chinese tourists in 2019, accounting for more than 70 percent of the total number of international tourists.

According to Xinhua, China has recently optimized and adjusted its anti-epidemic policies, citizens’ outbound tourism has resumed in an orderly manner, and many countries have warmly welcomed Chinese tourists. On the 9th of this month, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Anutin and other officials made a special trip to the airport to present flowers and souvenirs to the first batch of tourists arriving in Thailand after China’s optimization of its epidemic prevention policy with the slogan “China and Thailand are one family”. Indonesian Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said at a regular briefing on the 9th that Indonesia “has prepared a red carpet for Chinese tourists”. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos recently issued an invitation for Chinese tourists to return to the Philippines to enjoy the natural beauty and humanistic atmosphere of the Southeast Asian country. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said he hopes to receive 2 million Chinese tourists this year. The Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on its official website welcoming China’s adjustment of entry and exit measures and eagerly awaiting Chinese tourists to visit the country as soon as possible.

In response to the recent initiatives of several countries to welcome Chinese tourists, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that China will provide more convenience for tourists to travel to these countries, will continue to optimize and adjust the relevant measures, and work with all parties to ensure the safe, smooth and orderly movement of Chinese and foreign personnel, and contribute to international solidarity against the epidemic and world economic recovery.