The quick spread of A flu epidemic (H1N1) not only makes people worried but also exerts a serious influence on tourism industry. The influence level of the flu epidemic exceeds assessment of travel makers who used to think that this pandemic is not as dangerous as SARS. The number of international guests coming to Vietnam falls dramatically and domestic tourism is affected as well.
According to PhD. Le Dang Doanh, the great pandemic A/H1N1 is currently spreading very fast in the community and unless being put under control, it will cause a great economic damage. Moreover, if the epidemic is on a large scale, global tourism is sure to be affected. A/H1N1 flu is new and cannot be made light of.
Travel agents tormented by flu epidemic
Mr Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Director of VNAT, has recently signed documents to send to Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam Tourism Association, enterprises operating in international travel and 3-5-star hotels, warning about the complex progress of A/H1N1 flu in Vietnam and requiring them to guarantee safety for tourists. However, the tourism industry is still in a passive situation and suffers a loss due to the quick spread of the epidemic.
The number of people affected by H1N1 in Vietnam is approaching 1,000 cases and one already dies of this disease. According to ECDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control), as of 2 August, the whole world records 184,435 cases positive to A/H1N1 in 153 countries and territories, 1,247 cases of which are reported dead. Currently, the epidemic is breaking out in a complicated manner in some countries like Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Argentina.
In Southeast Asia, the situation continues to be complex. The number of cases affected by the disease rises quickly. Many countries record dead patients, including the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia, etc.
The information about the quick spread of the epidemic makes people raise their prevention level. The first thing in their mind is to delay tours to areas of high affection rate. Although it is now August when enterprises look forward to a large number of tourists, their hope becomes faint when the flu epidemic is getting worse.
Mr Tran The Dung, Deputy Director of Young Generation Travel Company admits that the H1N1 epidemic is underestimated. Now the disease and changeable weather have driven the number of tourists from Saigon to Hanoi down strongly. These travelers switch to the Central region (especially Hue Old Capital) in stead.
Although Vietnamese enterprises already registered for more than 800 tickets for domestic flights at preferential price from Vietnam Airlines successfully, Mr Dung says that travel agents are still very worried and pray for a stop of the epidemic so that Hanoi market will recover by September.
The outbreak of the epidemic in Hanoi makes tourists adopt self-preventive methods. They tend to avoid crowded places and places identified to be home of the disease. After Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi gets influenced due to the fact that people are afraid of being caught by the flu. As such, the number of tourists drops dramatically at travel agents. Some tours get cancelled.
In the case of international tourists, the global economic crisis and the outbreak of the flu makes the number of tourists from ten leading markets (the U.S, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, France, Singapore and Canada) to Vietnam via airline fall sharply.
There are approximately 278,000 international tourists to Vietnam in July, down 16 percent compared to the same period last year. During the first seven months of 2009, Vietnam has welcomed 2,172 international tourists (down 18.7 percent against the corresponding period last year).
How to overcome this obstacle?
Up to now, there have not been any warnings from the Ministry of Health or Vietnam Tourism Association about restricting traveling. Therefore, tourists’ awareness of protecting themselves and self-isolating if identified to have suspicious signals is an effective method to prevent epidemic spread.
PhD. Ly Ngoc Kinh, Head of the Department of Health Examination and Treatment, advises that when traveling, tourists should minimize their interaction (especially close interaction) with those who show signs of respiratory problems (sneezing, coughing or having a runny nose). They should bring with them mouth mask, mouthwash, nose-wash liquid and some types of restorative medicines like Vitamin B1 or Vitamin C, etc. in order to increase their body’s resistance.
For crowded places and places with the presence of international tourists, Vietnam Airlines have provided mouth masks for passengers on all flights departing from Ho Chi Minh City to other countries. All of the staff serving for these flights and working on the ground also wear mouth masks.
The number of international tourists largely depends on the economic recovery process and the progress of the H1N1 in the world. In the meantime, domestic tourism is a rescue package. They all hope that Vietnam Airlines continue to offer tickets at a discount toward the end of the year to support tourists taking flights.
Minh Chau
Vietnamese
