Latest Covid-19 outbreak thwarts hospitality industry revival

05:24 18/05/2021 - Living positive

Expectations of a tourism boost during the four-day Reunification Day and Labor Day holiday were belied by the latest coronavirus outbreak, leaving the hospitality industry floundering.

Shops remain closed on the once bustling Tran Phu Street in Hoi An Town, March 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Anh Tu.

During the four-day (April 30-May 3) holiday, the central city of Da Nang served 74,000 visitors, down 42 percent compared to the city’s estimation, according to the municipal Tourism Department.

All events and festivals to be held in the city were canceled. The number of visitors staying in the city’s tourist accommodations during the period was 40,000 people, 30 percent lower than expected.

According to travel data searching tool Google Destination Insights, the number of searches for hotels in Da Nang City at the beginning of May declined by half compared to April 26. Searches for flights to the city also dropped 50 percent.

In Hanoi and HCMC, the fourth coronavirus wave, which started April 27, has severely impacted the business MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions) service as conferences have had to be delayed or canceled under the request of local authorities, said Mauro Gasparotti, director of real estate consultancy Savills Hotels Asia Pacific.

Some hotels have announced temporary closure until the pandemic is under control. Others request visitors to furnish Covid-19 negative certificates, an unprecedented step to ensure safety and lower the risk of hotels being locked down.

The business of resorts was also affected, with 50 percent of bookings getting canceled. Some resorts reported cancellations of up to 80 percent. Most of the cancellations were made by tourist groups and enterprises.

Vietnam has been coping with a new Covid-19 wave that broke out on April 27 and has so far seen 1,340 cases in 28 cities and provinces. Two additional deaths of Covid-19 patients have also been recorded, bringing the national coronavirus death toll to 37.

Trung Tin

18/05/2021