HCMC – Many enterprises in the aviation and tourism sectors as well as hotels had expected to earn profits during the upcoming Lunar New Year or Tet holiday to make up for their losses last year, but their hopes have been destroyed due to the new Covid-19 wave.
Flights have been suspended as many air passengers returned their tickets, while tours during the holiday have been canceled. In addition, many stores and restaurants in many localities have been temporarily closed.
Vietravel has suspended all of its tours to the northern region and is working out response plans in case the pandemic takes a turn for the worse. Vietravel Airlines, which has been put into operation for over a month, has also faced multiple difficulties.
Vietravel Holdings Chairman Nguyen Quoc Ky said travel companies had invested heavily in their products and services for Tet but the pandemic has upset their plans. If the situation gets more complicated, even those that survived the previous two pandemic waves will find it hard to overcome this one.
As a result, laborers will be put at a disadvantage. Only half of Vietravel’s employees have returned to work.
Not only travel firms, lodging facilities have also faced the same fate. According to Savills Hotels, the new Covid-19 wave has hindered the recovery of hotels.
Savills Hotels director Mauro Gasparotti said the pandemic has hit not only localities with Covid-19 outbreaks but also others.
Some conferences have been suspended, directly affecting the Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition tourism segment.
He forecast the situation this year might be similar to that of last year if the international tourism segment is not resumed.
As for the aviation sector, the number of air passengers has declined 15% over the period that new Covid-19 cases had not been confirmed.
In addition, the demand for flights to Danang and HCMC plunged 35% and 34%, respectively, according to OTA Insight.
As a result, Vietnam Airlines’ losses of more than VND11 trillion may need more time to be recouped. Moreover, it will be difficult to introduce a credit package worth VND14 trillion for the national flag carrier.
Meanwhile, Vietjet Air has significantly cut expenditures.
According to SSI Securities Corporation’s recent report on the outlook of the aviation sector this year, the market will remain gloomy as the United Kingdom’s coronavirus variant has been found in many countries. The aviation sector will not recover until the end of 2021, when Covid-19 vaccines are approved.
By V.Dung
