Travel firms to stimulate market demand after COVID-19 pandemic

TIN LIÊN QUAN
	Ambassador Ngo Thi Hoa shares Vietnam’s success in fighting against COVID-19 outbreak
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Unesco-recognized Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh is a famous tourist destination in Vietnam. (Photo: baomoi)

According to figures released by the General Statistics Office, international visitors to Vietnam during the year’s first quarter dropped by 68% in comparison to the same period from last year, with the number predicted to plummet further ahead in the year’s second quarter as a result of social distancing restrictions and the complicated nature of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide.

Recent days have seen several tourism sites in the country’s major cities reopen following the easing of social distancing measures, with the majority of travel firms now focusing their efforts on attracting domestic holidaymakers instead.

Pham Tien Dung, director of the International Golden Services Provider Joint Stock Company, said that the company has been striving to work alongside hotel partners and transportation services to design tours aimed at the domestic market, including those with a short duration that would be ideal for local visitors.

Dung noted that the firm is poised to launch several short tours, targeting families and small groups of travelers during May and June, while tours to attractions in the central and southern regions will receive a boost when the aviation industry is set to rebound in June and July.

Nguyen Ngoc Bach, director of SBTOUR company, also outlined how the enterprise has drawn up plans to promote the domestic market.

“The domestic market is our leading target given the current context,” Bach said. “We will focus on small groups and popular destinations, including Sapa, Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Da Lat, and Phu Quoc.”

With regard to large groups, the business is expected to switch its plans to center on the organization of events and teambuilding activities, whilst simultaneously launching tours in the form of training courses for employees of major firms and those who work in industrial parks.

“In the post-coronavirus period, we will try to maintain operation and hope to bounce back by the end of the year when tourism services are expected to regain momentum,” Bach noted.

Despite there being no fresh COVID-19 cases recorded among the community for nearly 20 days, plenty of travelers remain concerned about the risk of infection and are hoping to ensure their safety by selecting nearby destinations in the post-pandemic period.

Indeed, a local tourist from Ha Noi said her family has chosen Ha Long bay as a destination for a short holiday and will travel by private car as they are confident that authorities in Quang Ninh province have done a great job in fighting the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Tours with a short duration and nearby locations are emerging as popular tourism trends among local tourists, with the choice of helping to ensure safety, save money, and reduce the risk of infection.

Nguyen Thi Yen, director of the Ha Noi Trip Tourism Joint Stock Company, revealed that her business is focused on boosting domestic tourism and is designing tours for families and small groups with destinations close to Ha Noi such as Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Phu Tho, and Bac Giang.

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