Part of the beautiful landscapes in the tourism site in Ninh Bình Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Đức

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has asked the northern province of Ninh Bình to organise an event in replacement of the opening ceremony of the National Tourism Year 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A report from the ministry said Deputy Minister Lê Quang Tùng signed a document and sent it to the People's Committee of Ninh Bình Province on Thursday, asking for the organisation of an event instead of an opening ceremony for the National Tourism Year 2020 in the province's Hoa Lư District.

The ministry also said the alternative event should be launched as soon as Việt Nam announces victory over the pandemic and to release tourism promotion programmes from the aviation and tourism sectors.

In the document, the ministry clearly states that the development of the COVID-19 pandemic is still complicated, so after considering a proposal from Ninh Bình Province's Department of Tourism submitted early this month to the ministry to organise an event to replace the opening ceremony of the National Tourism Year 2020, it has agreed the ceremony would not be held as it is no longer suitable. 

The Ninh Bình Province's People’s Committee has been requested to direct the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to carry out the alternative event and coordinate with the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) to organise associated activities.

According to the VNAT, the country could see an 80 per cent decline in the number of foreign visitors this year if the COVID-19 pandemic is not brought under control by the end of the year.

If the pandemic is controlled by June, the number of foreign visitors could fall by 70 per cent to just 5.5 million.

It said that following the 33 per cent growth posted in January, the number of foreign arrivals fell by 22 per cent in February and 68 per cent in March.

Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted by the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) and the Private Economic Development Research Board under the Government’s Advisory Council for Administrative Procedure Reform, in collaboration with Grant Thornton Ltd. and VnExpress has assessed the impacts of the pandemic on hospitality companies and proposed suitable supportive policies for the Government's consideration.

Some 71 per cent of enterprises in the hospitality industry responding to the survey conducted from April 13-17, said their revenue in the first quarter of 2020 fell more than 30 per cent against the same period last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 77 per cent of respondents said revenue may plunge even further in the second quarter of 2020, perhaps by as much as 80 per cent.

Around 18 per cent of respondents have laid off all of their employees while 48 per cent have laid off 50 to 80 per cent. Some 75 per cent have provided different types of financial support to laid-off staff.
Most must still pay rent, salaries, and interest during the temporary closure ordered by the Government to contain the spread of COVID-19. Only 4 per cent indicated they have not incurred any extra costs because of the pandemic.
About 72.6 per cent said they want to receive support from the Government or be allowed to defer their tax payments, insurance premiums, and other payables, while over 88 per cent expect Government guarantees when applying for loans. — VNS