Vietnam recorded a record low number of foreign arrivals in June with just 8,800 entering the nation, none of whom were holidaymakers, according to data released by the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Tourist sites in Hue are ready to welcome back foreign visitors post COVID-19 

The figure represents a steep decline of 61.3% in comparison to the numbers from May and a massive 99.3% drop from a year ago, the GSO stated in a report released earlier this week.

All of the foreign citizens entering the country were made up of specialists, business executives, and high-skilled workers working on major projects locally.

At present, the nation has yet to reopen for foreign travelers to prevent any possible recurrence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with the virus evolving in a complex manner both regionally and globally.

Overall, the past six months saw the country welcome a total of 3.7 million foreign arrivals, an annual decline of 55.8%, with the majority of travelers coming from China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan, all of which saw a huge drop in numbers. Indeed, the only location in which the number of travelers increased during the six-month period was Cambodia, recording a rise of 106%.

There remains questions over when exactly Vietnam will reopen its doors to international holidaymakers, with tour operators bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 epidemic.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has devised a series of plans aimed at welcoming back foreign travelers, with the schemes ready to be implemented as soon as the Prime Minister gives them the green light.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has also proposed resuming flights to countries and territories that have been able to keep the COVID-19 epidemic under control for 30 consecutive days.