Tiền Giang tourism businesses, hit hard by COVID-19, are looking to local authorities for support measures, including extension of tax payment deadlines. – Photo baophapluat.vn

TIỀN GIANG – Local businesses hit hard by COVID-19 are seeking support, including deadline extensions for tax payments, from Tiền Giang Province authorities.

Nguyễn Đức Đảm, director of Tiền Giang's Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism, said that more than 1,200 businesses, households and clubs in the fields of culture, tourism and sport had to stop operating due to COVID-19.

In the first quarter, Tiền Giang received only 375,000 tourists and reached VNĐ160 billion in tourism revenue, a drop of 43 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively, year-on-year.  

Phan Hoài Lâm, deputy director of Saigontourist's branch in the province, said that revenue had dropped drastically and there were no foreign tourists.

Domestic tourism had just started to pick up, he added. 

Lâm said his company was looking for tax reductions and extended deadlines for social insurance and VAT payments.

Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Trang, deputy director of Làng Việt Travel Co., Ltd, said she hoped that local authorities would lower land rent and insurance fees and extend payment deadlines.

The Tiền Giang Tourism Association has asked authorities to lower bank loan interest rates and extend payment deadlines.

The association said that loans with low interest rates are needed for organisations in the fields of tourism, sport and culture. To help those businesses recover, reduction in land rent fees and extension of payment deadlines are needed as well.   

Nguyễn Đức Đảm said the department had been working with other agencies to carry out policies from the central and local governments to assist businesses affected by COVID-19.

In the future, departments would develop a media campaign on safe travel to Việt Nam and Tiền Giang to encourage tourism.

The province would also help businesses improve tourism products and build tourism stimulation programmes.   

Đảm said that tourism businesses should provide newer tourism products and services, and that departments should focus on promoting tourism and work cooperatively with HCM City, Hà Nội and Mekong Delta provinces. – VNS