Connect with us

Travel

Tourism sector works to recover market amid new COVID-19 outbreak

Published

on

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is making preparations for the recovery of the tourism market amid a new COVID-19 outbreak.

Tourism sector works to recover market amid new COVID-19 outbreak hinh anh 1Visitors to the largest theme park of Vietnam in Phu Quoc Island, Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi – The Vietnam
National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) is making preparations for the recovery
of the tourism market amid a new COVID-19 outbreak.

Speaking at an online
meeting last week, VNAT General Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said the
agency was working with localities to rehabilitate the tourism industry as
the new outbreak has hit businesses again after three months of no locally
transmitted cases of COVID-19.

He noted that hotels, transport
and other tourism services have a close mutual relationship. 

Any disruption to the
relationship greatly affects the overall operation of the tourism
industry, he said.

Tourism has been one of the
industries hardest hit globally by the pandemic, and Vietnam is no
exception, with foreign tourist arrivals and tourism revenue falling by more
than 50 percent in the first half of the year, according to Khanh.

After a brief recovery of
domestic tourism thanks to many promotions, travel firms are now facing
thousands of cancellation and refund requests.

Vo Anh Tai, deputy general
director of Saigon Tourist Travel Service Company, said
that most customers who want to cancel tours have requested
a full refund of their payment.

“This is a problem that
enterprises cannot solve by themselves. When customers buy tours, the
companies have to pay a part of that money to service providers such as
airlines, restaurants, hotels and resorts,” he said.

Nguyen Thi Hoat, executive
director of Top Travel, said the firm is facing challenges related to cash
flow. 

“Many customers are delaying
their payment of the remaining amount that is due for their
chosen tour. When making a contract, the travel company
usually takes only 50-80 percent of the tour value.”

Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, deputy
general director of Vietravel, said that as of August 5, more
than 22,300 tourists had cancelled tours worth a total
revenue of 102 billion VND (4.4 million USD). The number is expected to
increase in the coming time.

Travel firms
typically have to book services with service providers in advance. In
“force majeure” events in previous outbreaks, only some service providers
agreed to refund, while many others applied penalties when
customers cancelled tours, Hoang said.

Khanh said the VNAT
would continue to provide support to enterprises. However, many
tourism businesses said they have been unable to receive government
incentives since the first COVID-19 outbreak due to the complicated
procedures they must follow.

Most travel businesses have
requested a reduction of VAT as well as electricity and
water bills. They also would like extension on rental
payments and financial support for employees in the tourism sector.

Tour cancellations

Preliminary statistics from localities and
businesses show that the number of tourists who have postponed or
cancelled tours has reached hundreds of thousands across the country,
significantly affecting tourism service providers.

The cancellation rate in localities
is expected to be more than 90 percent by the end of the
month. Major tourist hotpots in the country have confirmed that the
cancellation rate of tourist bookings has reached more than 80 percent. 

Some customers have agreed to postpone or
adjust their travel times, but others have cancelled their tours and
requested a full refund.

After social distancing measures were
suspended in late April, the domestic tourism industry strongly revived
between June and early July. According to the VNAT, hotel room occupancy
in mid-June reached 60 percent by mid-week and up to 90 percent by the end of
the week.

Across the nation, the number of domestic
tourists in June was estimated at 7 million, twice the figure in May. In Da Nang,
the city’s tourism authority recorded more than 450,000 visitors in June, up 85
percent from May.

In response to the resurgence of
COVID-19, Vietnam is taking serious measures to stop the virus from
entering and spreading in the community, the VNAT said./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/tourism-sector-works-to-recover-market-amid-new-covid19-outbreak/179996.vnp

Travel

International summer festivals help Da Nang draw in tourism

Published

on

A series of international festivals have been being organised at Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist site in Da Nang to attract the attention of new holidaymakers visiting the central beach city in this summer.

International summer festivals help Da Nang draw in tourism hinh anh 1Tourists at Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist area (Photo: VNA)

Da Nang
A series of international festivals have been being organised at Sun World Ba
Na Hills tourist site in Da Nang to attract the attention of new holidaymakers visiting the
central beach city in this summer.

According to Deputy General Director of Sun
World and Director of Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist site Nguyen Lam An, festivals of many countries such as
Germany, the Republic of Korea, and France have brought new and impressive
experiences for visitors of all ages.

A food and beer festival
named B’estival – a new brand name owned by Sun World Ba Na Hills, kicked off in May,
offering a chance for visitors to taste the flavour of German beer and famous
dishes from many countries around the world, immerse themselves in lively music
melodies and enjoy entertainment activities.

The festival will run
until late August.

International summer festivals help Da Nang draw in tourism hinh anh 2Dance performance at the food and beer festival in Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist site (Photo: VNA)

Meanwhile, a festival spotlighting
the culture of the Republic of Korea (RoK) will be held in June with a wide
range of attractive activities, such as a contest to eat chicken and drink
beer, a Kpop Dance Kontest on Tiktok, a Minishow Kpop, and unique games imbued
with the culture of the RoK and Vietnam.

A light festival will also take place from June 13 to late September, which is
expected to captivate visitors with stunning 3D mapping light shows on the
backdrop of ancient castles.

In July, visitors to
Ba Na will have a chance to join a French cultural festival on the occasion of the
100th commemoration of the Debay Wine Cellar in Ba Na. The event will
take visitors back to the Ba Na of a century ago, allowing them to indulge in French
cultural experiences, savour culinary delights, immerse themselves in street
art performances, and join luxurious banquets.

An said Sun World Ba
Na Hills is planning a series of exciting attractions for visitors to enjoy the
four seasons throughout the year at the tourism site.

The municipal
authorities will also host a summer festival “Wow Da Nang” from July 27 –
August 1 at the Bien Dong Park in Son Tra
peninsular, and beaches along coastal routes in the city, and the Han
River. It is hoped to attract more domestic and foreign visitors, contributing
to positioning Da Nang as a top destination for festivals and
events in Asia./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/international-summer-festivals-help-da-nang-draw-in-tourism/253950.vnp

Continue Reading

Travel

Quang Nam moves to boost tourism development

Published

on

Quang Nam province has developed green, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly tourism offerings in a bid to attract visitors. However, experts believe, for a breakthrough to be seen in its tourism development, the province’s tourism sector should improve product quality and meet the increasing demands of tourists.

Quang Nam is a popular spot on Vietnam’s tourist map, with two world cultural heritage sites – Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary – as well as the Cu Lao Cham-Hoi An Biosphere Reserve.

In 2022, its Bai Choi folk singing was recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Tra Que vegetable farming, meanwhile, has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Agritourism, sea tourism, culinary tourism, and ecotourism are typical Quang Nam products attracting tourists, especially foreign visitors.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, many local businesses in the sector have faced difficulties in reinvesting to improve the quality of their offerings.

The Quang Nam Tourism Association said Quang Nam province should further improve its tourism environment, boost training and capacity building and make ethic codes readily available for workers in the sector.

Quang Nam’s tourism sector has made an impressive recovery post-pandemic. The total number of visitors in the first five months of this year is estimated at nearly 3.5 million, including more than 1.6 million foreign visitors, an increase of 30-fold over the same period last year.

Experts say local government, local people and businesses should work closely to post a strong breakthrough in tourism./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/quang-nam-moves-to-boost-tourism-development/253938.vnp

Continue Reading

Travel

HCM City moves to apply ASEAN Tourism Standards

Published

on

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism held a conference on May 31 to discuss the application of the ASEAN Tourism Standards and launch the ASEAN Tourism Awards among businesses in the sector.

HCM City moves to apply ASEAN Tourism Standards hinh anh 1HCM City is known as one of the most dynamic trade, service, and tourism hubs in Vietnam. (Source: dangcongsan.vn)

HCM City – The Ho Chi
Minh City Department of Tourism held a conference on May 31 to discuss the
application of the ASEAN Tourism Standards and launch the ASEAN Tourism Awards
among businesses in the sector.

Deputy Director of the department Bui
Thi Ngoc Hieu said the application of the ASEAN Tourism Standards will help
guarantee higher product and service quality as well as safety so that
travellers can have better experience. It will create a quality tourism environment
and promote HCM City as a trustworthy tourist destination.

The ASEAN Tourism Standards include criteria
for energy use management and reduction, sustainable use of natural resources,
and efficient waste treatment. By complying with these standards, HCM City can
maintain the harmonious balance between tourism development and environmental
protection, climate change response, she went on.

Experts said the city, one of the
most dynamic trade, service, and tourism hubs in Vietnam, has attracted
millions of visitors from around the world and established itself as a diverse
and charming destination.

However, to adapt to common trends in
the region and the world, the local tourism sector should standardise tourism
services, which is critical to its development. Given this, learning and
applying the ASEAN Tourism Standards is an urgent need, they added.

HCM City moves to apply ASEAN Tourism Standards hinh anh 2Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the Hotel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, speaks at the conference on May 31. (Photo: VNA)

Nguyen Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of
the Hotel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said
that aiming to turn tourism into a key economic sector by 2030, Vietnam is
working to develop sustainable, inclusive, and responsible tourism based on
green growth, and maximise the sector’s contribution to the realisation of the
Sustainable Development Goals.

To do that, she said, the sector will
step up applying the ASEAN Tourism Standards, which also include standards on
hotels, community-based tourism, venues for MICE tourism, public restrooms, and
spa services. The standards also target sustainable and environmentally
friendly development, along with energy efficiency at accommodation facilities.

Besides, the tourism sector will also
enhance its participation in the annual ASEAN Tourism Awards, which honour the
localities and units with high-quality tourism products and services to help
with the sustainable development of tourist destinations in ASEAN, according to
Binh./.

Source: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/hcm-city-moves-to-apply-asean-tourism-standards/253934.vnp

Continue Reading

Trending