Passengers enjoy Phu Quoc Island from a cable-car system linking An Thoi Township with Thom Island in Phu Quoc Island District, the southern province of Kien Giang.

Insiders have said that co-operation in joint sales would stimulate tourism as airlines companies can offer prices that aren't too high, while hotels and travel companies also offer deals to encourage travel.

Cooperation among businesses was discussed by participants at a conference on tourism promotion in the Mekong Delta held by Vietnam Airlines and Can Tho authorities in the southern city on Monday.

Speaking at the event, Deputy General Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Ha Van Sieu said the aviation and tourism industries were the two sectors most affected by COVID-19 and there was precedent for the impact the disease had made.

“Travel demand is very high, but the opportunity to travel is not easy. The current tendency is to travel in small groups, near destinations with nature to ensure health and safety. People are not ready and still afraid of crowds and far destinations, posing both opportunities and difficulties for the tourism and aviation industries,” Sieu said.

He said to overcome these difficulties, besides the Government's support policies, ties between airlines, travel agencies and hotels to produce tourism packages with reasonable prices would help.

Deputy Chairman of Can Tho City’s People’s Committee Duong Tan Hien said local tourism revenue had sharply dropped due to the pandemic.

He said the volume of visitors to the city had decreased by 70 per cent year-on-year, making revenue fall 62 per cent.

“The pandemic is so serious that the international tourism market has not been able to recover. Vietnam Airlines’ reopening of domestic routes connecting Can Tho City is very practical. It is also an opportunity to attract investors to the city and its neighbouring provinces in the Mekong Delta,” Hien said.

H’yim Kdok, Deputy Chairwoman of Dak Lak People's Committee, said her province has targeted tourism as a key economic sector in its development process. “Dak Lak is ready for investors and visitors from all regions.”

“In order to promote the effectiveness of new air routes, we want tourism sectors of localities to attach importance to co-operation in promoting the tourism potential of each locality, avoiding duplication and supporting each other with destination information, aviation services and tourism culture of each locality,” Kdok said.

She also asked Vietnam Airlines and localities to create conditions for businesses to create more tourism products, which must ensure safety from the COVID-19 outbreak and quality to attract tourists.

Deputy CEO of Vietnam Airlines Le Hong Ha said the Mekong Delta is a potential market, which has been invested and developed by the carrier since it opened a branch in Can Tho 10 years ago. In this region, the city is a key gateway with seven routes connecting to localities across the country.

“These routes will contribute to the development of regional tourism and economy, especially in the context that the whole country is working together to redevelop tourism and economy in the new normal,” Ha said.

On the same day, Vietnam Airlines signed agreements with all localities having routes linking with Can Tho. It also opened three new routes connecting Can Tho with Buon Ma Thuot with a frequency of four return flights per week, Vinh and Hai Phong with three flights per week each. 

New domestic air routes opened

Vietnam Airlines on Tuesday opened five additional routes including Da Nang - Phu Quoc/Thanh Hoa, Da Lat - Hue/Thanh Hoa va Can Tho - Da Lat, bringing its total domestic routes to 57.

The national carrier has recovered all domestic routes after the COVID-19 pandemic was controlled in the country, with an average of nearly 320 flights per day.

On the occasion of opening new routes, Vietnam Airlines offered airfares from only VND69,000 (US$3) per leg (equivalent to VND546,000 including taxes and fees).

To ensure the safety of passengers and the community, Vietnam Airlines still disinfects its entire fleet regularly, while implementing measures to check the health of passengers at the airport. The flight crew is equipped with masks, gloves and alcohol paper towels. Passengers on the plane during this time are required to wear a mask during the flight. — VNS

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