Travel

Number of foreign visitors plunge 98.7 percent in Q1

The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam in the first quarter of this year fell 98.7 percent year-on-year to just over 48,000, as the COVID-19 pandmeic continued to throw cold water on the country’s inbound tourism sector, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported on March 29.
Number of foreign visitors plunge 98.7 percent in Q1 ảnh 1Foreign visitors in Hoi An ancient city (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The number of foreign visitors to Vietnam in the firstquarter of this year fell 98.7 percent year-on-year to just over 48,000, as theCOVID-19 pandemic continued to throw cold water on the country’s inboundtourism sector, the General Statistics Office (GSO) reported on March 29.

As the country has closed its borders to nearly all foreign arrivals in a bidto contain the pandemic, the number of visitors arriving by air, land, and sea hasfallen substantially.

Most arrivals have been foreign experts and technical workers working for Vietnameseprojects or drivers bringing goods through border gates, according to the GSO.

The pandemic has been brought under control in Vietnam, with frontline workers nowreceiving vaccine shots. Authorities have bolstered negotiations withinternational partners on vaccine procurement while speeding up home-grownvaccine development to ensure accessibility for local people.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) under the Ministry ofCulture, Sports and Tourism said that although it is necessary to reopen the doorto foreign tourists, the country must remain prudent in the task of assuringeffective pandemic prevention and economic development.

VNAT has worked with representatives from relevant ministries and sectors to discussa pilot plan on bringing foreign visitors to Vietnam.

Source markets must have sound pandemic prevention measures in place and have bilateralagreements with Vietnam on the issue, such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, andTaiwan (China). Travel companies and destinations must also meet Staterequirements on pandemic prevention./.
VNA
#COVID-19 #foreign visitors #COVID-19 pandemic #General Statistics Office #reopen the door #Vietnam National Administration of Tourism #Vietnam News Agency #Vietnamplus
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