Vietnam's resort island welcomes first tourists after nearly 2 years

Phu Quoc resort island is seen via the window of an airplane after the Vietnamese government eased the lockdown following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam May 8, 2020. Picture taken May 8, 2020. REUTERS/James Pearson

HANOI (Reuters) - Two hundred vaccinated foreign tourists arrived in Vietnam's beach-fringed island of Phu Quoc on Saturday, the first wave of visitors to the country in nearly two years as it seeks to resurrect its pandemic-ravaged tourism economy.

Vietnam imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic in an effort to keep out COVID-19, with some initial success, but that harmed its burgeoning tourism sector, which typically accounts for about 10% of gross domestic product.