Part of the Cát Bà tourism complex, Hải Phòng City. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HẢI PHÒNG — The tourism sector in the northern coastal city of Hải Phòng is preparing all conditions for recovery after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic ends, according to a report from the city authority.

The imminent loss of tourism revenue due to the global epidemic has prompted the sector to outline plans to boost development with a focus on attracting more tourists to the city, the report said.

The city has vowed to continue tourism promotion activities and intensify co-operation with others cities and provinces including participating in a travel promotion event in the northern province of Thái Bình and the annual Việt Nam International Travel Mart Hà Nội 2020 to be held in April in Hà Nội.

It has also committed to sign a tourism development co-operation deal with the capital city.

It will complete a project on managing and developing the Hải Phòng tourism brand by 2025, a research project on the capacity of Cát Bà resort complex while outlining a scheme on tourism development in tandem with agriculture and new-style rural area building.

A travel guide book for Hải Phòng and publications to promote local tourism will be also published soon.

Tourism infrastructure in the city has changed significantly with more 5-star hotels having been built including those of the Vingroup, and the appearance of high-standard cruise services becoming more popular.

The city currently has 502 lodging facilities with 11,806 rooms of which 400 rooms are particularly for those on luxury cruises.

However, the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 epidemic is causing losses to the tourism sector.

In the first two months of the year, the city served over one million tourists, including more than 121,200 foreigners, a year-on-year decrease of 0.2 per cent and 9.8 per cent, respectively.

In February alone, revenue had reduced dramatically due to a drop of about 9.4 per cent in the number of tourists. Last month, it received only 470,000 tourists including 54,400 foreigners – a decrease of nearly 16 per cent compared to the same period last year.  
Vũ Tiến Lập, head of Cát Hải District’s culture, sports and tourism bureau, said the number of arrivals to Cát Bà tourism complex fell significantly, particularly those from Asian nations.

During January-February, 172,500 travellers spent their holidays on Cát Bà Island, equivalent to only 78.4 per cent of the number recorded in the same time last year, according to Lập.

The official said despite a decrease in revenue, the sector always put the safety for tourists as first priority in services and that doing tourism business should not be counted in short term but long term in all seasons.

To ensure the safety for tourists as well as tourism staff, hotels and lodges in the city are strictly following hygienic rules for rooms and others interior places in the service areas including spraying sterilising chemicals and temperature examination before check-in for the tourists.

With a wide range of new tourism products, including the high-end Flamingo Cát Bà resort complex, slated to be launched soon, Cát Bà Island expects to welcome more tourists during the Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays. — VNS