CAN THO – The Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) on May 16 launched a program in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho to bolster domestic travel demand, marking the start of various activities to rev up the country’s tourism industry after the coronavirus pandemic has been contained.
Speaking at the event, Vu The Binh, vice chairman of VITA, said VITA chose Can Tho to roll out the program as this Mekong Delta locality has taken the lead in revitalizing post-Covid-19 tourism and economic activities.
Further, the program will be organized in HCMC, southeastern localities and other regions nationwide. Through the launch of the program, VITA seeks to recover the domestic travel segment in the next two months to pave the way for restarting activities of the international segment, Binh said.
According to the VTA representative, stimulus tourism packages under the proram were designed to put the health and safety of tourists first, with discounted prices yet quality services.
Binh added that over 150 travel firms across the country have registered to join the program, showing the determination to restore tourism and gradually help the industry to return to its pre-pandemic level of growth over the last four years.
In the year to April, the pandemic has slashed the number of visitors to Can Tho by some 71% and tourism revenues by 73% compared to the same period last year, Duong Tan Hien, vice chairman of the municipal government, told the launching ceremony.
The Can Tho City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism therefore has partnered with the relevant agencies to jointly introduce safe destinations while encouraging tour operators in the city to offer quality tour products to attract tourists, said Hien.
Dang Minh Viet, head representative of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines in Can Tho, said the carrier has been operating 200 daily flights and is set to launch services on five new domestic routes to meet summer travel demand.
As part of the program, Vietnam Airlines in coordination with VITA and six leading tour operators, namely HanoiTourist, Saigontourist, Vietrans Tour, Vietravel and Redtour, will offer a holiday package with airfare discount of up to 40% for groups of six people or more.
By Huynh Kim
