Safe and Attractive Vietnam

As the Covid-19 pandemic has been kept under control, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has launched the second tourism stimulus program, conveying the message: Placing tourist safety on top priority but still highlighting the charm of Vietnam.

“Domestic tourism stimulus: Safe and attractive Vietnam” is expected to revive tourism activities in the last months of 2020.

Tourist safety is the first priority

Speaking at the Workshop on “Domestic tourism stimulus: Safe and attractive Vietnam”, VNAT Deputy General Director Ha Van Sieu said, as the Covid-19 pandemic has basically been controlled in the country, in addition to strictly ensuring preventive measures, we have now continued the Tourism Stimulus Program, which was launched in early May under Plan 1749/KH-BVHTTDL of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and. In this phase, the tourism stimulus program will focus on two keywords, “Safe” and “Attractive”.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of the Market Department, VNAT, said, safety in this tourism stimulus program means that suppliers of services and environment, from transportation, aviation, accommodation and entertainment, must strictly comply with regulations on safety procedures for disease prevention. At the same time, tourists also need to follow and consciously and actively prevent the Covid-19 pandemic as recommended by the Ministry of Health and install applications such as Bluezone.

Deputy General Director Ha Van Sieu said that authorities are currently building a scenario which must include processes specifying what and when to act, how to handle it and how to be responsible for tourist workers to prepare and ensure safety and assurance for tourists - the center of tourism.

With the active participation of localities and businesses, the first domestic tourism stimulus in May, June and July was very successful nationwide. In the coming period, businesses will need to create special attractive tourism programs to woo tourists. Vietnamese destinations themselves are already extremely attractive but this natural charming beauty must be made into tourism products and marketed by businesses.

“Each tourism business has its own attractive travel programs but now they have to join altogether in the supply chain to create stimulus packages and alliances to provide the highest convenience and comfort for customers to feel most comfortable and secure and cause the appeal of tourism products to catch the fancy of visitors and press them to go travelling,” he said.

To attract tourists, products must be first of all attractively priced, said Mr. Dinh Ngoc Duc, Director of Market Department, VNAT. Good prices are determined by the good connection among stimulus alliances, created with complementary tourism products and well-priced travel routes. Product appeal is created by new, quality and diversified products to encourage consumers to spend on vacation tourism, health tourism, golf tourism, and MICE. The refund and swap policy must be attractively flexible for tourists to have more options. This stimulus phase will focus on quality, growth experience to increase tourist spending.

Focusing on regional links and discounts

To anticipate new post-pandemic activities and take advantage of Vietnam's advantages as a safe destination, businesses said that they have long-term domestic tourist development programs. Accordingly, most businesses have built many travel, resort and experience combo programs that suit various needs of Vietnamese people. Prices of service packages are also deeply reduced, including a 50% discount on room rates, 50-70% discount on entry tickets to amusement parks. In addition, travel product providers also increase experiences of new services at tourist destinations. Distinctive products are also developed for specific groups of visitors.

Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc Thuy, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department, said that Ho Chi Minh City, as a major tourist city of the country, developed and launched local stimulus packages based on specific surveys by target groups. The city has linked with the Southwestern region and neighboring areas to create joint tourism products to increase their appeal.

Regional connectivity, one of focuses to create common products attractive to tourists, has been responded by localities and businesses to the second domestic tourism stimulus. Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuy, Director of the Tourism Department of Quang Ninh province, said, a regional connection between Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh and nine northern provinces will be formed to concretize tourism links in October.

Besides, to make good changes in tourism development, technology is indispensable. Mr. Vu The Binh, Standing Vice Chairman of Vietnam Tourism Association, emphasized, “The World Tourism Organization introduced the slogan “Covid-19 has changed tourism, think creatively, approach customers in a different way, acquire automated systems, use artificial intelligence, and access new technologies for development. Enterprises should conduct digital transformation to quickly address epidemic consequences”.

By Giang Tu, Vietnam Business Forum