Quang Binh to launch "green tourism" model to welcome back tourists
VOV.VN - With the COVID-19 pandemic gradually being brought under control, the central province of Quang Binh is devising plans on tourism recovery in order to welcome back visitors moving into a new normal.
The prolonged COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a heavy blow to tourism services nationwide, including Quang Binh province. Statistics show the total number of tourists visiting Quang Binh has since the beginning of the year fallen 66% year on year to roughly 550,000.
As the outbreak is showing signs of abating and the locality is going to enter a new normal, travel firms are requested to draw up plans relating to human resources, communication campaigns, accommodation facilities and new products, to receive visitors.
Hoang Van Minh, deputy director of Saigon - Quang Binh Tourism Joint Stock Company, suggested that the locality offer incentives, including fee discounts, for travel agencies and other tourism facilities in a bid to further attract tourists to the region.
From October 1 Quang Binh has asked travel firms to sell tour packages to popular tourist destinations. Accommodation facilities are requested to welcome guests under closed tour programmes that have been permitted by the provincial People's Committee.
Most notably, a green card will be granted to fully vaccinated visitors, while a yellow card will be issued to visitors who have received the first dose of vaccine and must have a negative SARS-CoV-2 rapid test result.
However, Nguyen Van Ky, chairman of the Quang Binh Provincial Tourism Association, pointed out that the vaccination rate in the province remains low, impacting on firms’ plans to reopen tourism services.
A tourism recovery plan will be split into two phases, one running from now until the end of December, and another running from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2023, according to local authorities.
Quang Binh will focus on upgrading tourism infrastructure, designing tours to ensure safety for tourists moving into the "new normal" state during the opening phase.
Ahead of the second phase, with the pandemic being brought under control, the province will seek solutions aimed at completely restoring tourism activities in the new normal context
Ho An Phong, vice chairman of Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee, said the locality has initiated a plan on accepting the ‘vaccine passport’ model to create favourable conditions for both domestic and foreign tourists.
In the short term, Quang Binh will target domestic and intra-provincial visitors, small groups of tourists, and family guests.
