Foreign visitors in HCM City. (Photo: VNS)HCM City (VNS/VNA)- The HCM City tourism sector will run a stimulus programme from April to Julyto revive tourism industry which has been hit quite badly by thenew coronavirus outbreak.
Travel firms, hotels, restaurants, airlines, transport firms and othertourism-related service providers would be involved in the programme, whichwould offer attractive discounts and promotions, Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, deputydirector of the city Department of Tourism, said.
This year the sector will focus on markets such as Australia and India andbegin new air services to the countries.
It plans to continue its marketing and promotion activities in markets withhigh growth rates such as the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan (China), and SoutheastAsia.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has significantly affected visitorarrivals, especially from China, which accounted for 30 percent of Vietnam’s internationalvisitors last year.
The number of bookings at three- to five-star hotels in HCM City has fallen by50 percent after Tet (LunarNew Year) in late January, according to its Department of Tourism.
Hotelsserving Chinese-speaking tourists saw a drop of 70 percent, it said.
Some four- and five-star hotels in fact plan to lay off workers as a result ofthe slump in business.
City travel firmssaid the number of tour bookings has also decreased by 50 percent.
Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, deputy general director of Vietravel, said there isalmost no new booking for the next two or three months.
“Stimulus packages with discounts of 30 percent and above can help boost thetourism industry.”
Travel- and tourism-related firms want the Government to offer incentives liketax breaks to mitigate the impact of the epidemic./.
VNA
