(VOVWORLD) - Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, only 300,000 tourists visited Da Lat in August and September, down more than 60% from last year. The number of foreign arrivals fell 90%. Travel companies in the province are trying various ways to attract more tourists.
 The Valley of Love (Photo: VOV) |
The number of visitors to the Valley of Love, one of the most famous tourist destinations in Da Lat, has fallen sharply.
Nguyen Van Long, Director of the Valley of Love Tourist Site, says local tourism businesses are struggling.
He said, “We are focusing on the domestic market and arranging vehicles for tourists to travel between the destinations and the local restaurants. Disinfection and other disease prevention measures have been strengthened to make visitors feel safe here.”
Major tourist destinations are seeing less visitors. Accommodations are in the doldrums.
Pham Hoai Thanh, owner of a hotel in Bui Thi Xuan street, says visitors to Da Lat are mainly families and groups of young people traveling by motorbike. There are no tour groups organized by travel agents. Hotels have cut room prices 10% to 30% to attract customers.
“The coronavirus epidemic requires businesses to find a new way of developing their business, especially the tour companies. At the same time, they have to ensure health and food safety for their customers,” said Thanh.
In Lam Dong province 180 businesses and 660 households that provide tourism services suspended operations for 2 months or more. More than 4,000 workers of the local hospitality sector have been laid off.
Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the tourism sector has asked the provincial government for tax exemptions or reductions. Ngoc called for policies to support, exempt, reduce interest rates, freeze, or defer debts, and reduce electricity prices for restaurants and hotels.
Ngoc said, “We have asked tourism facilities and travel agents to strictly follow current health regulations to protect tourists’ health. It’s important is to ensure epidemic prevention measures.”
Tourism businesses in Lam Dong are working hard to boost domestic tourism and compete with other tourist destinations in Vietnam by discounting services 30 to 60% and introducing new products.
 Da Lat Flower Garden (Photo: infonet.vietnamnet.vn) |
Le Tang Trong Nghia, Director of Vietravel Da Lat, said, “Participating in the province’s tourism stimulus program will enable us to introduce our service packages to businesses and individuals interested in Da Lat tours. We are offering tourists with new experiences and products never seen before in Da Lat like cloud hunting tours, farm tours, and educational tours of Chu Ru culture.”
Phan Van Da, Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong provincial People's Committee, says tourism is Lam Dong’s spearhead economic sector.
Da encouraged businesses participating in the tourism stimulus program to focus on producing typical tourism products and maintaining high quality of tourist products.
“Lam Dong will continue to help businesses cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. We have asked relevant agencies to implement the government support policies and mechanisms to help businesses recover quickly,” said Da.
Under the tourism stimulus program, travel companies are helped to further promote their tourist products and activities while tourists to Da Lat are offered with new experience tours.