Cô Tô People’s Committee member Hoàng Bá Nam said any foreigners who are residing legally in Việt Nam will be allowed to travel to the northern island, so long as they carry their passports or legal identity documents with them.

The change follows approval from the ministries of Defence and Public Security to register Cô Tô Island as a “local tourism area”.

Cô Tô Island in Quảng Ninh Province

Under Government Decree 71, issued in 2015, foreign tourists visiting places identified as a local tourism area are exempt from obtaining visiting licences, even though these areas lie along the border, which is strictly restricted for non-Vietnamese individuals.

The move is expected to attract more tourists to the island, which is so far only popular among the Vietnamese.