The tourism sector has devised tourism stimulus measures to revive the domestic tourism market, remove obstacles for tourism companies, and prepare to receive foreign visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

  Floating market, an attractive touris destination in Can Tho city

Travel businesses and administrations in HCMC, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, and Khanh Hoa have released enticing tour packages and tourism stimulus programs to attract more domestic tourists.

The "Tourism stimulus program" jointly organized by the Vietnam Tourism Association and the Mekong Delta Tourism Association will be conducted in 13 Mekong Delta provinces and cities until December.

Tran Huu Hiep, Deputy Chairman of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, said the Association and localities have introduced promotional packages and discounted prices for popular tourist destinations.

Tourism businesses including hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and airlines have been asked to improve service quality, ensure safety for travelers, and create new, creative tourism products, said Hiep.

He added that the Association has persuaded tourism businesses to participate in the program by offering discounts of 20% or more for their products and services.

“First, the tourism industry must pay attention to disease prevention and control as well as market restoration. Second, it’s necessary to restore tourism activities and attract tourists to the Mekong Delta. Third, it’s important to create jobs and improve lives for workers, especially those who have become unemployed due to COVID-19. Above all, we must increase revenues for local budgets which have been hurt this year,” Hiep gave more details.

The tourism industry has developed reopening scenarios for each epidemic stage and possible combination of epidemic conditions at home and abroad. Domestic tourism began to open in a limited way on April 30.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has built a set of criteria to ensure the safety of visitors with top priority given to serving domestic tourists and removing difficulties for travel businesses. Most domestic flights on Vietnamese airlines have already been restored. The Ministry is planning for international tourism so that as soon as the epidemic is contained, Vietnam can reconnect with foreign tourism markets.

 Ba Na Hill in Da Nang City

Da Nang city’s Tourism Department and functional agencies have announced a tourism stimulus program called “Danang thank you 2020” which will run through the end of December.

More than 150 tourism enterprises in Da Nang will participate in the program by offering free admission to tourist attractions, room discounts of up to 50%, and extra hotel values like meals, spa, massage, and 2-for-1 service packages, and airlines with direct flights to Da Nang are offering flexible, discounted fares.

Nguyen Xuan Binh, Deputy Director of the municipal Tourism Department, emphasised that tourism companies participating in the program are committed to offering attractive incentives.

“Our first priority is beach tourism this summer which will be followed by a Christmas and New Year shopping program,” said Binh.

More than 3,000 businesses nationwide are participating in the stimulus program to promote local tourism, which, it is hoped, will help the domestic tourism industry get back to normal by the end of the year.

Doan Hai Dang, Director of the Vietravel company in Da Nang, noted that “With the current combo packages, Vietravel’s profit is zero. The current prices barely cover our operating costs. Despite this, we will continue to operate tours, which at least gives our employees a job and keeps them in good practice. Travel operations require a system of service providers working closely with each other. Running tours doesn’t just benefit us, but provides work for other companies as well.”

As Vietnam gets accustomed to the “new post-pandemic normal” period, the tourism sector is focusing on promoting Vietnam as an attractive, safe, and friendly destination for travelers.