Tourism CEOs switch jobs to survive from COVID-19

CEO Nguyen Tien Dat delivers beer for buyers (photo courtesy of Nguyen Tien Dat)

Hanoi (VNA)- As the Covid-19 crisis freezes the travel industry, many tourism executives have switched to other businesses to save their companies from bankruptcy.

Through four COVID-19 waves in Vietnam, while many "sharks" were dying waiting for new support from the Government, other chose to change their operating models to save themselves. Because, if they don’t, hundreds or thousands of employees under their leadership will lose their hopes.

Tourism CEOs produce facemasks

In order to have additional incomes for employees, General Director of Viet Tourism Company, Tran Van Long, had to seek different ways to find alternative jobs for his employees. As soon as the COVID-19 epidemic broke out for the first time, he instructed the company to help farmers sell agricultural products, hand sanitizer and disinfected products. This initiative has not only helped increase income for employees but also keep them to pay for their living and stay with the company. However, things were not easy.

CEO Tran Van Long shares his experience in a meeting prior to COVID-19 outbreak (Photo: Xuan Mai/Vietnam+)

General Director of Viet Tourism Company, Tran Van Long said at that time, he imported goods, but COVID-19 has made agricultural products sluggish due to difficulties in exporting, so there was still not much work for employees. He continued to distribute hand sanitizer products. At that time he sold hundreds of tonnes of hand sanitizer every week. But unfortunately, he faced difficulties in production step, so he had to stop.

With a strong determination, the CEO tried to find another way to help his business overcome crisis. Realizing there were a huge potential in medical mask, starting from early April 2020 he imported equipment and machinery to manufacture facemasks

Currently, the company manufactured five million masks a day. If the company runs two shifts at full capacity, it can reach 10 million masks and 100,000 protective gear sets a day.

Masks produced by Tran Van Long’s business are exported to the US. (Photo: Vietnam+)

CEOs sell beverages

Being known as one of young and dynamic CEOs of the tourism sector, CEO of VietSense Travel, Nguyen Van Tai, revealed that to welcome the summer 2021 tourism season, right after the Lunar New Year, his company has built a series of attractive new tourism products and services at reasonable prices in order to attract more tourists.

While the travel business is plummeting and the pandemic is becoming more complicated across the country and the world, VietSense Travel’s CEO Nguyen Van Tai has planned to open a restaurant with an intention of expanding the restaurant into a chain in Hanoi. However, Covid-19 deranged the plan. Tai has decided to sell their food online or accepted take away orders but the CEO said they are only temporary solutions.

(Photo courtesy of Nguyen Van Tai)

Due to the epidemic, the operation of the travel company has been frozen as nearly 1,000 customers who have booked tours departing in May requested to postpone or cancel their trips.

The fourth outbreak is extremely strong and out of business’ expectation Tai said. “Due to running out of resource, only a small number of staff is still working while other have to stop working temporarily,” Tai said, added that now he is selling goat meat and that’s an alternative solution.

Tourism CEOs export agricultural products

Among thousands of businesses are struggling to find ways to remain their operation admit the pandemic, besides men CEOs who have proactively changed their business model to maintain their businesses, female CEOs also have shown their strong determination in overcoming difficulties. Thai Thi Thanh Lan, CEO of Vietindo Travel is an example.

Thanks to her efforts to adapt to market fluctuations, the female CEO contributed to introducing 15 Vietnamese agricultural products to French market in 2020. Currently, she is working with other partners in Germany, the Czech Republic, and other countries in Europe to bring Vietnamese agricultural products to these markets.

Tourism CEOs like  Thanh Lan, Dat,  Long, and Tai, among others  are known as “warriors” as when facing the "COVID-19 tsunami", their calm, proactive, dynamic and optimistic spirit have helped them turn challenges into opportunities, helping their businesses overcome difficulties caused by the pandemic./.