Independent trips, including self-drive itineraries located near the city such as Vung Tau, Da Lat and Phan Thiet, saw a rise in visitors during the Tet holiday.

Travellers scrambled to cancel trips and get refunds for tours during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday due to COVID-19 outbreaks in late January, just a few days ahead of Tet.

Travel demand during Tet was nearly at a standstill. During the holiday, popular tourist and entertainment sites in the city such as Dam Sen Park, Suoi Tien Theme Park, Van Thanh and Binh Quoi tourist sites were closed to contain the spread of the virus.

Hotels in HCM City are now operating at occupancy rates of less than 10 percent, according to the department./.VNA