Many tourism businesses have returned to operation after a period of suspension due to the pandemic. At the same time, many businesses are focusing on investing in high quality tourism products as well as preparing products and strategies for the tourism season at the end of the year and into next year.

Yoko Onsen hot spring resort in Quang Hanh (Quang Ninh) -
a new destination attracting tourists. Photo: Sun Group

Many signs of recovery

The second wave of Covid-19 which appeared in Da Nang and other localities hasnow been basically brought under control. This is the time for tourism businesses to start operating again.

According to the representative of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, in response to the domestic tourism stimulus program in the last months of 2020 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, many localities and businesses across the country have simultaneously enjoyed the response, bringing a vibrant atmosphere and obtained positive initial results. The re-launch of domestic tourism is a practical solution to revive the tourism industry in the last months of 2020.

Reports from localities show that the number of guests booking in November and December has increased again, in some localities such as Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat (Lam Dong), Da Nang, Hoi An (Quang Nam), Phu Quoc (KienGiang), Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

It is forecast that the number of domestic touristswill increase sharply and highly increase in the Tet period can offset the shortage of foreign tourists. Activities to promote domestic demand stimulus will take place in the fourth quarter of 2020 and first quarter of 2021.

In Ho Chi Minh City, currently about 60% of travel companies in the city have returned to operation after a period of suspension. Most travel companies have prepared products and strategies for the year-end and next year's tourism season.

In order to boost domestic tourism in Ho Chi Minh City in particular after being affected by the pandemic, on October 23, the Ho Chi Minh City tourism industry has also implemented a tourism stimulus program. The 4th quarter (from October to the end of 2020) attracts the participation of more than 100 travel service enterprises with nearly 200 discount and promotion products from 10-50%.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, said that by the end of 2020, the target will be to attract about 15 million domestic tourists to Ho Chi Minh City, the revenue of domestic tourism is about VND80,000 billion.

According to experts, the recovery of Ho Chi Minh City's tourism will have a pervasive and stimulating effect on tourism of neighboring localities as well as stimulating alliances that have formed. Ho Chi Minh City needs to assert its position as a distribution center for visitors, creating unique product chains in the recovery process of Vietnam's tourism industry.

Invest in high quality products

Mr. Nguyen TrungKhanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism,said that the need to restore activities of businesses and the tourism industry is very necessary. Therefore, in the stimulus for tourism from now to the end of the year, the programs will spread to both domestic and foreign visitors living and working in Vietnam. To do this, it is necessary to take the initiative of management agencies, businesses, tourism chains in building policies for flexible refunds, cancellations, and exchanges of tours and tourism products to ensure the interests of tourists. Developing new tourism programs and products, promoting stimulus coalitions including travel companies, transport agencies and destinations.

In particular, the role of enterprises and large corporations is extremely important, coordinating with the locality to actively create new destinations, new tourism products, creating an attraction for tourists. Typically, Sun Group recently invested in a new destination, Yoko Onsen hot spring resort in Quang Hanh (Quang Ninh), which is very attractive. Besides, the Sun World entertainment areas are constantly being renewed, for example, Ba Den Mountain Tourist Area (Tay Ninh) which was previously unknown to many tourists. The rice season in the Northwest, the wildflowers season in the Central Highlands, the floating water season in the West are the opportunities to activate those new factors.

According to Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Tourism Company, the company will introduce many tours with discounts of up to 50%. The area of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast is the safest and most suitable destination for tourism development. Vietravel has deployed 16 tour products to this area, highlighting the destinations to discover Cu Chi, Tay Ninh, Can Gio, Vung Tau, Con Dao.

Eiditour - Vietluxtour Travel Company is selling products with discounts from 10-30% in the program to associate with partners to stimulate demand. A series of cultural - historical tours of Saigon Special Cave with five routes from Ho Chi Minh City to the West and the Southeast is a special product line that is attracting many customers.