Bright spot in the “gray picture”
Figures from the General Statistics Office (GSO) showed that in 2021, the number of international visitors to Vietnam decreased by more than 99% against 2019. Specifically, in 2021, international visitors numbered 157,300, down 95.9% against 2020 and down 99.1% against 2019.
However, December alone is the “bright spot” of the whole year as, with the implementation of a pilot route to welcome international tourists from November 2021, international commercial flights have been restored. International tourist arrivals were estimated at 17,200 in December, up 14.2% from the previous month and up 5.4% year on year. As a result, the number of international visitors to Vietnam in the fourth quarter of 2021 reached 42,700, up 62.7% compared to the third quarter of the year and down 12.4% year on year.
The first group of international tourists returned to Phu Quoc after the closing period
because of the epidemic. (Photo: VNA)
Revenue from accommodation and food services in 2021 was estimated at 398 trillion VND, down 19.3% compared to last year. This revenue decreased sharply in major tourist centers of the country, such as: Quang Ninh, down by 10.3%; Hanoi, 14%; Hai Phong, 17.8%; Da Nang, 20%; Binh Duong, 23.5%; Nghe An, 30.7%; Ho Chi Minh City, 46.1%; and Ba Ria-Vung Tau, 52.2%.
Meanwhile, revenue from travel service in 2021 is estimated at 6.5 trillion VND, down 59.9% from the same period last year.
According to experts, Vietnam’s socio-economy will face many risks and challenges in 2022, such as slow economic recovery; increased risks of inflation; natural disasters, and climate change, but will see intertwined opportunities.
Overall, harmonious solutions
Aiming to promptly overcome difficulties and transform after a long period of “hibernation”, experts expect that in 2022, the whole tourism industry will make the most of all opportunities and potentials in the new normal period to create a strong recovery.
Chairman of the Quang Binh Travel Association Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong said that it is necessary to identify strategic and core tourism products during this period to make a breakthrough. He suggested that businesses invest in exploiting resort tourism for families or small groups, focusing on sea tourism associated with high-class coastal resorts, suitable for closed tours; adventure travel; camping tourism; and community tourism.
Experiencing regional culture is a tourism trend in recent times. (Photo: VNA)
Experts from the Tourism Advisory Board suggested that businesses should research and develop branch products such as tourism for the elderly, golf tourism, tourism combined with medical treatment, and sports tourism to create the most suitable products for each market segment.
But, Vietnamese tourism needs more synchronous and practical support policies from the Government to make a strong impact. Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, Mr. Vo Thanh Thong said that the ministry is presiding over and coordinating with relevant agencies to build a program for economic recovery and development after the COVID-19 epidemic to create a resilient economy, with many groups of solutions and policies related to tourism.
Accordingly, in addition to support for taxes, fees, and credits, there are also policies such as: building and supporting COVID-19 insurance, supporting cost of RT-PCR testing for visitors; and digitizing journey data, health status, and behavior of visitor and staff for disease prevention and control when the international tourism market opens./.