Tourists in Đà Lạt last weekend. — Photo thanhnien.vn

HCM CITY — Popular tourist destinations across the country have reopened following the relaxation of the social distancing period and are expected to receive a large number of domestic tourists for the Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays.

Most tourist sites in Đà Lạt in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng, for example, are fully prepared to welcome guests.

The Đà Lạt City Flower Garden has been cleaned up, and the opening time will be extended to limit the crowds, said Huỳnh Phú Cường, head of the garden’s management authority.

The garden usually attracts around 10,000 visitors a day during the holiday.  

Tourist attractions that reopened in Lâm Đồng Province have received around 1,000 visitors a day since April 23, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Nearly 16,600 tourists, including 618 expatriates, visited Đà Lạt for sightseeing and relaxation over the last weekend. Many of them traveled to the city by private car or motorbike.

Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc, deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the department ordered tourism and travel firms to follow COVID-19 infection prevention measures based on guidelines from the local health sector. 

Local authorities will monitor prevention measures at lodging facilities and tourist attractions during the four-day holiday.

Hot weather could bring more people to Vũng Tàu beaches in the southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu during the holiday, with many hotels and resorts reporting a surge in room bookings.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Kiên Giang last Saturday allowed the resumption of travel and hospitality services, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.

However, only domestic tourists and expatriates in Việt Nam are allowed to travel to the province. There will be limited operation of flights and inter-provincial buses and boats, and all passengers are required to make a health declaration.

The night market on Phú Quốc Island off Kiên Giang Province was allowed to reopen on Wednesday (April 29).

The central province of Khánh Hòa has allowed some tourist sites to reopen, including Po Nagar Cham Towers and Hòn Chồng Promontor.

However, beaches and water activities will continue to be banned at least until May 1 to prevent crowds from gathering.

Vinpearl Land Nha Trang announced that it has suspended operation until May 12.

Pleasure trips

As of Wednesday (April 29), only a few travel firms in HCM City had resumed operation. Only booking and car rental services are being offered.

A representative of Vietravel said that it was difficult to develop tours for the four-day holiday celebrating Liberation Day and May Day as some tourism services were still not operating and social distancing measures differ from one province to another.

Most travellers will choose 'free and easy' tours or make pleasure trips to domestic destinations for the upcoming holiday. 

Vietravel is offering room booking services at hotels and resorts in Vũng Tàu, Tiền Giang, Phan Thiết and Đà Lạt, and will wait until next month to introduce new tours. — VNS