(TITC) - "Safely opening: The golden opportunity of Vietnam tourism" is the topic of seminar organized by the People's Committee of Binh Dinh Province in collaboration with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), FLC Group and Vnexpress newspaper at FLC Quy Nhon on February 18, 2022.
Seminar of "Safely opening: The golden opportunity of Vietnam tourism"
The seminar was attended by VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh, leaders of Binh Dinh Provincial People's Committee, Department of Tourism, Provincial Tourism Association, Vietnam Tourism Association, leaders of corporations, tour operators, accommodations, airlines...
It focused on how to safely reopen domestic and international tourism for Binh Dinh tourism as well as Vietnam tourism after resume international flights from February 15 and reopen tourism in new normal from March 15.
Golden opportunity for Vietnam tourism
According to statistics, since implementing the pilot plan to welcome international tourists (from November 2021 to February 8, 2022), Vietnam has received more than 8,900 arrivals. The plan has been carried out methodically, ensuring safety for pandemic prevention and control. Visitors had new experience with activities related to sports tourism, exciting entertainment, health care services, resort tourism, eco-tourism in famous destinations of Vietnam.
Analytical data from Google Destination Insights shows the number of international search volume for Vietnam tourism is increasing sharply from the beginning of 2022. From January 2022 to present, the number of search volume for airlines to Vietnam have been remaining in an upward trend, some time peaked by 425% compared to the same period of 2021.
On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the whole country welcomed and served about 6.1 million domestic visitor arrivals, of which about 32 million guests stayed overnight at tourist accommodation establishments, total tourism revenue reached about 25 trillion VND, opening a positive prospect for the recovery of the domestic tourism market.
Opening up to tourism is a common aspiration of many social classes of the country
Mr. Vu The Binh, Standing Vice Chairman of Vietnam Tourism Association, said that opening tourism is an urgent matter. Tourism is an integrated economic sector, which entails the activities of many other economic sectors, affecting the global economy and society.
"People's desire to reopen tourism is not only a need to travel and have fun, but it is also improve livehood and develop economic sectors. Resuming tourism is not only about tourism but also the common aspiration of many social classes of the country," Binh emphasized.
Mr. Binh said that, for that reason, many ministries, sectors and localities have expressed support for the reopening of tourism. The government quickly made a decision to agree to reopen tourism in new normal from March 15.
From a local perspective, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Vu, Chairman of Binh Dinh Tourism Association, said that opening from March 15 is a favorable time for tourism, in the context of the new normal and Vietnam has reached high vaccines coverage. Binh Dinh is ready to welcome tourists with elaborate, unique and distinctive local products. And Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Director of Binh Dinh Department of Tourism, informed that the province welcomed nearly 160,000 visitor arrivals during the 7 days of Lunar New Year, an increase of 40% over the same period in 2021.
Do Viet Hung, Deputy General Director of FLC Group, said the news that the Government agreed to the proposal to open tourism from March 15 is a positive signal for localities and tourism businesses. In just a few days of the Lunar New Year, FLC Quy Nhon received 10,000 guests. The golf course system of FLC in the last days of 2021 has also been operating at full capacity.
The opening plan from March 15 will be more flexible
Mr. Nguyen Quy Phuong, Director of the Travel Department (VNAT) said that the regulations from March 15 will be more flexible, tourists can choose to test negative by PCR valid for 72 hours or Rapid test is valid for 24 hours. Visitors are not required to be tested at the airport, but done at the registered accommodation facility.
International visitors having negative test results will be allowed to participate in tourism activities and comply with pandemic prevention regulations like those of domestic tourists. Tourism will be full open via air, land and sea and at all provinces.
Regarding the visa issue, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and relevant ministries are reporting and proposing the Government and the Prime Minister to allow the application of visa policies for tourists as before the pandemic, including e-visas, unilateral visa-free and bilateral visa-free.
Get ready and find recovery solutions
Mr. Do Viet Hung informed that FLC Group actively prepares human resources right from the time of being affected by the pandemic. In 2022, the group plans to recruit 2,000 - 4,000 employees; a pilot and flight attendant training center will be put into operation in May and June.
According to Mai Dinh Toan, Deputy General Director of Bamboo Airways, the airline has the advantage of being in the FLC group's ecosystem, which is active in the field of tourism and resort. "For the past two years, we have been looking for flexible response options, both fighting the pandemic and operating economically. We continue to maintain aircraft, research and develop new routes such as Con Dao and Dien Bien Phu", Mr. Toan said.
Mr. Vu The Binh emphased the key role of tourism products. Post COVID-19, new tourism products related to heath care, sports activities and marathon running will be exploded.
Mr. Binh said that the Vietnam Tourism Association will organize Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) from March 31, marking the time when Vietnam tourism reopening.
The business delegates proposed to promote promotion to target markets, strengthen the brand positioning of Vietnam tourism, and attract the participation of famous people.
Tourism can bounce back quickly if well prepared
Speaking at the seminar, VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh shared that tourism sector is receiving the attention of the Government through policies supporting businesses and employees as well as supporting tourism recovery and development in the new normal. Along with the largest national vaccination program already being implemented, the tourism industry has very favorable conditions for restarting.
VNAT’s Chairman Nguyen Trung Khanh speaking at the seminar
Activities to restart tourism across the country exploded in last time shows that tourism can bounce back quickly if well prepared. Manything should be done related to agreement on safety control regulations among localities; airline shake hand tourism sector in connect key international market to tourism destinations; restore the policies of unilateral, bilateral visa exemption and electronic visa issuance as before the pandemic; recognition of Vietnam Vaccination Certificate; improve the quality of products, strengthen tourism human resources; apply digital transformation and enhance promotion about reopen tourism plan.
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