A corner of Sầm Sơn Beach is seen empty on the first day after the social distancing regulations were lifted. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoa Mai

THANH HÓA — Tourists in the central province of Thanh Hóa can now visit tourist destinations in the province, which have re-opened since last weekend, according to the decision of the chairman of Thanh Hóa Province’s People’s Committee.

However, groups of tourists are not allowed to exceed ten people and must abide by measures of epidemic prevention and social distancing regulations.

Safe travel

Along with other tourist destinations in Thanh Hóa Province, Lam Kinh Historical Site, located in Thọ Xuân District, temporarily stopped receiving visitors since mid-March to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

During the closure, the management board of the special national site regularly implemented environmental sanitation and improved the surrounding landscape like planting, pruning and trimming trees and flowers.

After over a month, the destination is now ready to welcome tourists again.

After nearly two months of closure, Lam Kinh Historical Site gets ready to welcome all tourists. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoa Mai

“Lam Kinh Historical Site is a special national relic, so the protection of its landscape and ecological environment has always been paid special attention,” said Vũ Đình Sỹ, the head of the site’s management board.

“After re-opening the tourist destination, besides offering reception and guidance to tourists, the management board will continue to strengthen disease prevention and control measures, particularly supervising and reminding tourists to follow epidemic prevention in public places like wearing masks, protecting the surrounding environment, maintaining social distancing and avoiding overcrowding in one place. We will take advantage of the opportunity that the epidemic has been controlled to foster and develop tourism activities of Lam Kinh Historical Site,” he added.

Lê Hoài Anh and her family from Thanh Hóa City were among the first tourists to the historical site. Their recent visit to the destination offered them a fresh experience.

“I used to visit the site during Tết (Lunar) New Year and festivals when it was thronged with visitors.

"However, I felt much more peaceful this time, having the chance to get immersed in nature and visit many other places in Lam Kinh Historical Site that I had not been to before,” Anh said.

“It might be the most exciting moment for our family after days of staying home following social distancing regulations.”

Likewise, many accommodations and restaurants in Sầm Sơn beach in Sầm Sơn City have been preparing necessary conditions to welcome guests when the social distancing regulations were eased.

As recorded last weekend, Sầm Sơn beach had barely any customers while the restaurants and hotels along the beach started to resume operation through cleaning and sanitising activities. Measures to prevent and control the epidemic will still be tightened like requesting health checks and compulsory health declarations from all tourists staying in hotels in the area.

According to Sầm Sơn City’s Vice Chairman, Bùi Quốc Đạt, the city is urgently completing tourism management plans to welcome tourists back after the social distancing period.

“The city has temporarily suspended several checkpoints on major roads and Highway 47 and demanded local accommodation facilities to strictly implement the health declarations for all tourists to the city.

“Meanwhile, the specialised forces will constantly inspect and supervise epidemic control and prevention at tourist sites and resorts. If any tourism businesses violate the rules, they will be fined according to the regulations on epidemic control and prevention,” he added.

According to the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vương Thị Hải Yến, the top priority of Thanh Hóa Province’s tourism sector is the safety of tourists and the community in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In the spirit of not underestimating the disease and strictly implementing the prevention and control measures, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province will provide specific instructions to local tourism businesses in preparing to welcome tourists back, such as not organising tours to the epidemic hot spots, not receiving tourists from the epidemic area or groups of more than 10 people”

She also noted that the local tourism enterprises had to follow the safe tourism criteria, in addition to taking the initiative in preventing and fighting the epidemic with measures recommended by the Ministry of Health.

Welcoming tourists back

The Bà Chúa Xứ (Lady Xứ) Temple at the base of Sam Mountain is the top tourism attraction in Châu Đốc. — VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp

Similarly, two famous tourist attractions in the southern province of An Giang – Sam Mountain and Cấm Mountain National Tourism Sites – have also opened their doors to tourists.

According to Trần Quốc Tuấn, the vice chairman of Châu Đốc City’s People’s Committee, tourists can now visit Sam Mountain Tourism Site from 9am on April 28. Earlier, the site had to close its doors since March 25 and would re-open when the epidemic is under control.

Meanwhile, Cấm Mountain Tourism Site in Tịnh Biên District will re-open its doors on April 29 after one month of closure, as revealed by the provincial Trade and Investment Promotion Centre.

However, tourists entering the site must strictly follow regulations on COVID-19 prevention like wearing masks, washing hands with soap or disinfectant solution and keeping a distance of at least two metres from others.

Earlier this week, many tourism destinations in other provinces also re-opened to receive tourists ahead of the upcoming national holiday that falls on April 30, reunification day and May 1, Labour Day. The lists of opening attractions include the national heritage site Ghềnh Đá Đĩa (The Cliff of Stone Plates) in Phú Yên Province, Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park in Quảng Bình Province, Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary in Quảng Nam Province, Đà Lạt Night Market in Lâm Đồng Province, together with beaches in Đà Nẵng, Bình Định and Kiên Giang. However, only domestic tourists and expatriates in Việt Nam will be allowed in most sites.

On the other hand, the relics and tourism sites in Hà Nội have not re-opened yet but are preparing to welcome tourists back soon, like the Temple of Literature, Hỏa Lò Prison and Thăng Long Imperial Citadel.

According to Lê Xuân Kiêu, The Centre for Scientific and Cultural Activities of Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám, the sanitisation activities are still being conducted daily within the Temple of Literature, complying with the regulations on epidemic prevention and control to ensure visitors’ safety on re-opening.

Nguyễn Thanh Quang, the vice director of Thăng Long- Hà Nội Heritage Conservation Centre, revealed that Thăng Long Imperial Citadel will welcome its first tourists after the social distancing period on the upcoming national holiday.

Meanwhile, the Hanoi City Tour bus route will also resume operation on this occasion, first serving domestic tourists. — VNS