Measures suggested to shore up tourism industry

Nghe An (VNA) – Participants in a tourism conference, held on December 25 in the presence of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, recommended several measures to help revitalise the tourism industry which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the hybrid event in Cua Lo town of central Nghe An province, President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Julia Simpson highlighted some important measures for recovering international tourism, accelerating the sector’s recovery, and generating jobs and profit for the economy.

She said it is necessary to have simplified procedures for international tourists, permit fully vaccinated citizens to travel without restrictions, and develop and carry out technical solutions enabling people to prove their COVID-19 status and enter the country easily.

Stressing the importance of digital transformation, Tran Nguyen, a division leader from the Sun Group, said the transformation will help travel firms to conduct restructuring; build a database of clients, products, and others; access clients and the market from afar; improve labour productivity, save operational expenses; improve tourists’ experience; and increase revenue and profit.

Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of the Board of Director of the Vietravel company, held that to effectively revive tourism activities, there is a need for fully vaccinating at least 70 percent of the people aged 18 and above, including workers at tourist destinations; ensuring healthcare infrastructure and tourism personnel; and boosting coordination among relevant parties in welcoming visitors and keeping pandemic safety.

He also called for tax cut for travel businesses, regardless of their sizes, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Da Nang city Le Trung Chinh proposed the Government order the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to implement the “vaccine passport” scheme early and align the tourism sector with the reality, which has changed much under the pandemic’s impact.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung noted the pandemic has fundamentally changed the tourism development context and trend in Vietnam and the world at large. Though tourism is one of the hardest hit, the industry also has the ability to recover fastest in the post-pandemic period, provided that proper strategies and preparations are made./.