Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Tourism, recently said that the impact of the nCoV (Covid-19) epidemic has caused the local tourism industry to face many difficulties. It is estimated that the number of visitors decreased by more than one million in the first quarter alone, mainly Chinese visitors with 470,000 arrivals; international visitors from other markets decreased by more than 250,000 arrivals and domestic visitors decreased by more than 300,000 arrivals.
"The tourism industry suffered a loss of about 9,000 billion VND. If this situation continues, the figure will increase to about 17,000 billion VND in the second quarter," said Ms. Thanh.
Stores are deserted or closed
Many hotels in Nha Trang have had to refund billions of dong due to cancellations by Chinese partners and other places; island tours and many tourist attractions have been deserted; restaurants and eateries have been closed. Tourism businesses all hope to soon announce the end of the epidemic in Khanh Hoa when conditions are right, to operate and recover the economy.
Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director General of Tourism, on February 19 requested the Department of Tourism to have a response scenario, restore the tourism market as well as stimulate demand after the corona epidemic is over. In addition, the General Department will soon propose to the Government to have policies to support tourism businesses, through policies on tax, credit, or human resource training, advertising promotion for early recovery. The unit will also work with travel businesses, airlines, accommodation facilities... to have a program to stimulate tourism.
The number of tourists in Khanh Hoa is sparse and decreasing.
Mr. Le Tan Phung, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Health, said that in the past 30 days, the locality has not recorded any new infections, meeting the conditions to declare the end of the epidemic. The Department of Health is advising the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Ministry of Health a request to declare the end of the epidemic.
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Khanh Hoa is one of the areas in Vietnam that has recorded cases of coronavirus infection. Since January 9, the province has quarantined 84 people suspected of being infected. Among them, a female hotel receptionist in Nha Trang who tested positive for nCoV was discharged from the hospital on the afternoon of February 4.
