Connection of “green zones” expected to help tourism overcome Covid-19 crisis

Safe tourism key to overcome crisis

According to Vice Director of the Vietnam Tourism Administration Pham Van Thuy, after a long period of standstill in tourism, the resumption of activities in the field is significant, especially for the business community in overcoming difficulties and maintaining operation in the new normal conditions.

Experts held that the most effective support to travel firms is to allow them to operate again, especially when they are on the verge of exhaustion. Therefore, they held that it is important to implement the dual targets of preventing the spread of the pandemic and boosting socio-economic development at the same time, and effectively combining the pandemic safety measures and tourism activities.

At the launching ceremony of the program, Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) Permanent Vice Chairman Vu The Binh said over the past two years, over 2 million direct and millions of indirect workers have been furloughed by the pandemic. In 2020 and the first half of 2021, a series of tourism stimulus programs were launched whenever the pandemic was controlled.

However, he expressed his belief that the sector will soon overcome the crisis and recover the green economic development through various promotion programs

The program is hoped to revive the tourism sector, initially domestic tourism activities, he stated.

Binh added that in a foreseeable future, the tourism sector will adopt six principles and build safety criteria for tourists and travel companies.

According to a plan issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the sector will launch communications campaigns to stimulate tourism with the messages “Vietnamese people travel Vietnam” and “Vietnam's safe and attractive tourism” while piloting a program to welcome foreign visitors back to Phu Quoc island city in the southern province of Kien Giang, then expanding to other destinations, including Ha Long Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh, Hoi An in the central province of Quang Nam, Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa, and Da Lat in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

Connecting “green zones” in tourism

Phung Quang Thang, VITA Vice President said that with the theme of “Green connection for Vietnamese tourism”, the program aims to bring travel activities to the new normal situation with a mindset of living safely with the pandemic, making tourism a safe economic sector.

According to Thang, the program will initially apply principles of safe and flexible adaption and control of Covid-19 set by the Government, along with guidelines of the Ministry of Health.

Meanwhile, the program will connect “green zones” where Covid-19 is well controlled with “green tourist sites” (safe tourism areas) following the classification of medical management agencies and local authorities.

At the same time, safety criteria will be built for tourism activities, serving the prompt recovery of tourism activities, initially domestic tourism, he said.

Specific safety criteria for particular working position in the tourism service chain will also be designed to ensure pandemic safety and suitable travel business activities.

However, many experts held that the implementation of the program will be tough as the pandemic has yet to be completely controlled, and the definition of “safety” clarified, and viewpoints on tourism recovery and development remains different among localities.

They stressed the need for joint efforts of not only travel firms but all ministries, sectors and localities in the work.