Positive signals
In 2021, the second year of dealing with Covid-19, tourism targets continue to fall further than in 2020. According to statistics, domestic tourists in the 11 months of 2021 are estimated at 34.75 million arrivals. total revenue reached 167.7 trillion dong, down 40.1% over the same period in 2020. In the peak summer season of 2021, tourism almost stopped. In the two months of August and September, the whole country has only 200,000 and 300,000 domestic visitors respectively, all of which are non-overnight tourists. For the whole 11 months of 2021, international visitors to Vietnam (most of them are businessmen, experts, and high-tech workers working in foreign-invested projects) only 140,100 arrivals, a decrease of more than 96 % compared to the same period last year. It should be known that, in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic began to break out globally, Vietnam's tourism suffered when it lost up to 80% of international visitors compared to 2019, domestic tourists also decreased by nearly 50%, causing damage to the whole industry about 23 billion USD.
The "storm" of Covid-19 caused Vietnam's tourism industry to experience an unprecedented crisis, and many experts have said that tourism has "bottomed out". After nearly 19 months of shutting down international tourism, domestic tourism could not be deployed, causing the entire service supply chain for tourism activities to stall; tour guides, direct and indirect workers in the industry do not have jobs; Many travel, transportation and accommodation businesses run out of resources and have to dissolve...
In that difficult context, the Government has implemented tax and credit support policies for tourism businesses (such as: extending VAT payment; reducing electricity prices for tourist accommodation establishments; reducing licensing fees). travel business license and issue tour guide card, reduce deposit for travel service business; preferential credit packages for tourism businesses to resume operations...) and social security for employees in branch. Notably, on October 11, the Government issued Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP on the provisional regulation "Safely adapting, flexibly, effectively controlling the Covid-19 epidemic" providing measures to The epidemic prevention and control shall be applied uniformly across the country, creating many conditions for the tourism industry to gradually recover. From here, Vietnam's tourism industry has restarted, starting with domestic tourism. The localities have developed plans to restore tourism and open their doors to welcome guests. Some localities are allowed to pilot return international visitors under the "vaccine passport" program. Immediately after that, in November 2021, domestic tourism had 2.5 million visitors, more than tripled in October (of which 700 thousand visitors stayed overnight) thanks to the gradual opening of localities. tourism in the spirit of Resolution 128/NQ-CP of the Government.
By the end of November 2021, for the first time in nearly 19 months, the tourism industry has had statistics on international tourists to Vietnam. In the second half of November 2021, 978 international tourists came to Vietnam under the "vaccine passport" pilot program in Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa and Phu Quoc (Kien Giang). This event of welcoming the first international delegations back is an important step to start, marking a step forward in efforts to revive the tourism industry, towards step-by-step opening up and economic development; At the same time, it also affirms the attractiveness of Vietnam in the new context. These are positive signals of the tourism economic recovery.
Efforts to find solutions to restore tourism
In the last three months (from October to the end of 2021), there have been many talks and forums organized by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Vietnam Tourism Association and local associations in coordination with press agencies. organization, in order to find solutions to restore tourism. Relevant ministries and branches also actively discussed to agree on long-term support solutions for tourism businesses, advising and submitting to the Government for decision as soon as possible. No matter how difficult it is, in order to survive and recover, the tourism industry is forced to make efforts and adapt. Along with the strategy of establishing a safe destination, methodically stimulating tourism demand, attractive preferential policies, self-contained tours and many unique tourism products..., local tourism businesses and associations Both sides agreed that businesses need to actively develop tourism products in line with the epidemic situation, in the spirit of "safely adapting, flexibly, effectively controlling the Covid-19 epidemic".
In order to restore tourism to a new normal, the Government has affirmed that it will continue to implement appropriate mechanisms, policies and flexible adaptation strategies. In addition to effectively implementing mechanisms and policies to support finance, credit, employment... for tourism businesses and piloting international arrivals in some markets, we are promoting linking with countries in the region to form a "bubble tourism" corridor in the ASEAN region to create a rich and safe source of international tourists. Recently, the Government has also agreed to a plan to restore regular international flights carrying passengers to areas with a high safety factor, starting from January 1, 2022. Accordingly, to restore regular international flights, the immediate passengers are Beijing/Guangzhou (China), Tokyo (Japan), Seoul (Korea), Taipei (Taiwan, China), Bangkok. (Thailand), Singapore, Vientiane (Laos), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), San Francisco/Los Angeles (USA). The reopening of flight routes must be based on the guidance of the Ministry of Health on epidemic prevention measures for people on entry, ensuring safety, efficiency and smoothness.
In the face of unpredictable developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, many difficulties are waiting in front of tourists. The tourism industry has entered a new phase. New regulations that tourists must comply with before and during travel (medical declaration, travel declaration, medical tests, vaccination vouchers, ...) and means of information individuals such as smartphones, laptops, tablets… gradually become mandatory requirements. Tourists like to travel in small groups, according to families, self-contained tours... MICE tourism (travel combined with conferences and seminars), health care services, culinary products... are noticed. more mean. Promotion, advertising, product development, human resource training, tourism business management... are also changing in the direction of ensuring safety and applying technology.
It is still essential that tourism businesses actively promote cooperation, ready all resources to reactivate. A positive sign is that major tourism enterprises have actively digitally transformed and innovated technology, especially in the fields of: travel services, management and business of tourist accommodation establishments, and promotion. destination; proactively build new products, ensure safety during the epidemic but still be attractive enough; Products are personalized to each customer, convenient for handling, flexibly adjusting... Even in the period when the Covid-19 epidemic stalled tourism activities, large corporations like Sun Group , Vin Group has continuously launched and upgraded new tourism products, contributing to creating a significant attraction for tourism recovery. The link between destinations is promoted effectively; Links between travel businesses, airlines, hotels... to build safe and attractive tourism product packages and programs have been focused.
The number of people and tourists who have a need to travel is very large, but the psychology is still afraid, so the communication for tourists to travel with peace of mind is also very interested. Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is actively implementing promotional activities, stimulating demand for tourism recovery... with two communication campaigns: "Live fully in Vietnam" - Living fully in Vietnam (for international tourists) economy) and “Vietnam: Going to Love!” (for domestic tourists). Both campaigns are taking on new, creative ways.
Many localities have also determined to develop tourism plans and scenarios in 2022 towards the goal of drastic but flexibly adaptive implementation, ensuring safety, with boldly set high targets. Most recently, on December 10, Da Nang welcomed 500 MICE tourists to attend the Vietnam Conference of Surgery and Laparoscopic Surgery, opening the way for customers to become more confident when choosing Da Nang as their destination. the first festival season in 2022. Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry is expected in 2022, when the Covid-19 epidemic is controlled, the target of welcoming international guests is to strive to reach about 3.5 million; and domestic tourists under two scenarios, in which, the good scenario is to welcome 25 million visitors; total tourism revenue reached 97.7 trillion dong...
The difficulties for the tourism industry are still very heavy, many "bottlenecks" need to be removed, but all the efforts of the state management agencies, localities, tourism businesses in actively finding Finding solutions to overcome difficulties, giving us a belief that Vietnam's tourism will gradually recover sustainably.
According to Nhandan Newspaper
