Many stores in Nha Trang are empty amid the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo courtesy of nguoiladong.vn

HCM CITY – Authorities in Khánh Hoà Province have stepped up efforts to promote new tourism markets to mitigate the fallout of the Covid-19 epidemic.

The province’s tourism industry has largely depended on the Chinese market, and deputy director of the provincial Tourism Department, Nguyễn Thị Lệ Thanh, said the new coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak has hit it badly.

It is important to restructure the market, she said.

According to a report by the province Department of Tourism, the epidemic has caused the province to lose all Chinese tourists.

Lê Kim Nhựt of the Nha Trang – Khánh Hoà Tourism Association said the tourism industry has to resolve a serious crisis since many Russian and South Korean tourists, besides those from HCM City and Hà Nội, have also cancelled their trips to Nha Trang.

“While it is difficult to forecast the future activities of Chinese tourists, other tourist markets are expected to recover after the next two or three months.”

This is an opportunity for the province to rebuild its amusement plans and programmes, he said.

“We have receive some positive signals from Chinese partners who have made plans to bring guests back to Nha Trang when the epidemic is contained.”

Trần Việt Trung, director of the Khánh Hoà Department of Tourism, said the province’s tourism industry, the Nha Trang – Khánh Hoà Tourism Association and other relevant agencies are looking for ways to restructure the tourist market.

High-income visitors from China would be targeted after the epidemic is over, he said.

“Affordable tours for international visitors to Nha Trang and Khánh Hoà have encountered some problems so far. As such, the department will focus on improving the general service quality to attract more guests from Russia and South Korea.”

Domestic market

According to Trung, at two upcoming international tourism fairs in Hà Nội and HCM City, the department will organise activities to promote the domestic market.

It would help Nha Trang in particular and Khánh Hoà in general to minimise the impact of the epidemic once it is contained and achieve steady growth, he said.

Đào Trọng Tùng, chairman of the Tourism Businesses Association welcoming Chinese visitors, said during this difficult period, travel agencies should focus on studying new products and potential markets.

Nhựt said the epidemic has provided authorities with a chance to review existing tourism products.

Some agencies have come up with new programmes to attract visitors from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and India, he said.

“Authorities should avoid unfair competition since Khánh Hoà has unique advantages in terms of nature, sea and islands.”

Thanh said Khánh Hoà has for long been aware of potential tourism risks since Chinese tourists accounted for 70 per cent of all total international visitors.

With the epidemic, the province’s tourism development plan needs to have a clearer picture, he added. – VNS