The Tourism Department of Hanoi has asked international travel companies to stop receiving tourists from areas with confirmed outbreaks of the novel coronavirus, and suspend outbound trips to epidemic-hit regions as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Many travel agencies like Hanoi Redtours and Vietrantour have cancelled
all tours to China in the light of the coronavirus outbreak. (Photo: laodong.vn)

As for tourists who are on tours in Hanoi and their schedule, travel firms must carry out comprehensive measures to manage and closely monitor their customers’ health conditions, as well as follow recommendations of the health sector.

The Tourism Department also ordered travel companies, accommodation establishments and tourism service providers to keep updated with relevant information, give timely reports to competent authorities, and join hands with local medical stations to isolate suspected cases of coronavirus in line with the Ministry of Health’s instructions.

Hanoi Redtours cancelled all trips to China progressively with departures during the Lunar New Year and in the first quarter of 2020 amidst the outbreak of the novel virus. The company decided to give full refunds to customers who have registered tours to China until the outbreak is completely controlled.

Meanwhile, director of Vietrantour company Nguyen Thi Huyen said that the firm has defer or cancelled all tours to China from January 24 in the wake of the disease. Besides offering full refunds to trip bookings to China, Vietrantour also advises its customers to change schedules to other countries instead of China - the centre of the virus outbreak.

Although the outbreak has caused severe losses to the firm, Vietrantour tries to ensure benefits of its customers, she said.