Vietnam's government plans to reopen some tourist destinations in December this year and fully by June next year. The reopening will allow travelers from select countries to visit if they are fully vaccinated. Vietnam shut down its borders and consequently its entire tourism industry late last year as cases of COVID-19 throughout the nation began to spike.

Vietnam implemented tight border controls during the start and at the height of the global pandemic to prevent the spread of the disease. However, this initially successful measure later harmed its tourism industry, which accounts for about 10% of the nation's gross domestic product.

The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam fell to 3.8 million in 2020, down from 18 million in 2019. The country's tourism revenue fell to about $31 billion, or 12% of GDP.

Starting in December this year, Vietnam will allow vaccinated visitors from pre-approved "low risk" countries to visit some of its famous attractions including the coastal town of Nha Trang, the city of Dalat, and Hoi An and Halong Bay. Vietnam also plans to reopen the island of Phu Quoc, which is home to white-sand beaches and its famous night markets.

"We are only open when it's truly safe. We are moving step by step, cautiously but flexibly to adapt to real situations of the pandemic," the Vietnamese government said in a statement.

Vietnam has been trying to accelerate its nationwide vaccination program. However, only 13% of its 98 million population has been fully vaccinated so far - one of the lowest vaccination rates in Asia.

Over the past few months, COVID-19 cases in Vietnam have gradually decreased. The downward trend has bolstered confidence in the tourism-dependent nation's ability to safely reopen its borders to international tourists.

On Tuesday, health officials reported about 5,300 new COVID-19 cases. While the number may be high, it pales in comparison to the over 17,000 daily cases that were reported in late August.

Since the start of the pandemic, Vietnam has recorded more than 822,000 cases and about 20,000 deaths as of Thursday.

Vietnam's planned reopening comes after its neighbor Thailand announced that it would be welcoming back vaccinated tourists starting in November. Thailand plans to reopen more areas for international guests in the following months.