Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen NgocThien has stressed the need to develop a set of travel safety standards todevelop the tourism sector, which has suffered since the outbreak of the acuterespiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a working session with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT)on February 19, he said the safety criteria should focus on transportfacilities, border gates, airports, tourist spots, entertainment zones,shopping malls and lodging facilities.
He said communication was vital to show Vietnam is a safe and hospitabledestination for all visitors.
Thien ordered the VNAT to complete mobile applications which provideinformation about safe destinations, while outlining tourism promotionstrategies in key markets.
Earlier, the VNAT held a conference to seek countermeasures against theCOVID-19 epidemic.
Experts at the event suggested that heedshould be paid to tourism markets with robust growth and convenienttransportation, like the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan and ASEAN, and potentialmarkets such as India, Australia, New Zealand and North America.
Regarding tourism promotions, the VNAT said that resources should be mobilisedto carry out promotional campaigns through television and social networks,including media giants such as CNN.
The VNAT said the COVID-19 epidemic could cause losses of 5.9-7.7 billion USDfor the domestic tourism sector in the next three months.
The tourism sector estimated a 90 percent decrease in the number of Chinese visitors dueto the disease, and a 50-70 percent drop in the number of holidaymakers fromother countries.
Meanwhile, the number of domestic holidaymakers is likely to suffer a fall of50-70 percent.
China, where the outbreak began late last year, has advised its citizens tostay at home. Vietnam has also stemmed the flow of tourists from coronavirus-strickenareas and suspended festivals. International vacationers havestayed away from Asia while many Vietnamese tourists have decided to stay athome./.
VNA