Before the Covid-19 outbreak, Vietnam would welcome 21 million international visitors annually, with total revenues exceeding US$60 billion.

Over the past eight months, hotel room tariffs have plunged and hotel room occupancy rates have remained low, forcing several hoteliers to divest capital with many financially weak hotels in the local market being put up for sale.

Safety of tours and people’s financial capability are the decisive factors affecting people’s travel plans from now to the end of the year, a survey has found. Travelers are choosing short tours and going in small groups.

In the first campaign launched months ago, it was difficult to stimulate demand, but now the situation is far worse.

Vietnam should not look forward to receiving foreign travelers soon after it reopens international air routes, but it needs to prepare well to get them back.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told the Ministry of Transport to continue to plan the resumption of more international flights, but in a “controlled” manner.

In many cases, parties in the tourism supply chain broke their promises to reduce prices, and as a result, travel firms could not provide tours at reasonable fees and travelers felt they were not respected.

Vietnam’s current account surplus could narrow to 3.7 per cent in 2020 from 4.9 per cent last year due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Fitch Solutions.

The hotel market has been in a state of hibernation since the beginning of the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 90%-95% of travel companies in HCM City have suspended operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government’s relief and credit packages are now vital to help HCM City travel firms survive the coronavirus crisis, a top official in the city Department of Tourism has said.

Supermodel Jessica Minh Anh will promote Vietnamese tourism by presenting the country as a friendly and safe destination through reality shows to be produced from now to next year.

Following the prime minister’s directive over the need to set up at least 10,000 more quarantine rooms,

The project to conserve and improve the special national relic site of the Dien Bien Phu Victory until 2030 has recently been approved by the People’s Committee of the northern province of Dien Bien.

After the easing of social distancing measures and the control of COVID-19, Vietnam’s tourism industry is beginning to bounce back. 

The Prime Minister has recently assigned the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to devise measures to develop tourism following COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus has already taken a toll on Vietnam’s tourism, with people cancelling holidays and events getting pushed back. 

The Hanoi Department of Transport is building a plan to ban all vehicles operating in nine streets around Hoan Kiem Lake within one month with the hope of expanding the city pedestrian zone.

As of the second quarter of 2019, Vietnam ranks fourth in Southeast Asia in international arrivals, after Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, according to the Pacific Asia Tourism Association.

The Vietnamese tourism sector is approaching to the target of welcoming 17.5 -18 million international visitors and serving 85 million domestic tourists in 2019, while earning revenue of nearly US$30.1 billion.