HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Tourism authorities in the Mekong Delta are stepping up effortsto attract domestic visitors, with a focus on regaining trust so that they feelsafe about going to tourist destinations and lodgings there.

The Departmentof Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho city has revealed plans for revivingtourism post-COVID-19 through promotional activities and numerous measures toensure the health and safety of visitors.

Nguyen MinhTuan, deputy director of the department, said the pandemic has caused thetemporary closure of most travel and tourism businesses.

In the firstquarter of the year the city received only 284,700 visitors, including 40,500foreigners, a year-on-year drop of 59 percent.

Tourismrevenues plummeted by 62 percent to 433.7 billion VND (18.5 million USD).

Thedepartment is coordinating with health authorities to advise travel agenciesand tour operators, tourist sites and hotels on infection prevention measures,Tuan said.

It willclosely monitor travel and tourism businesses for compliance with food safetyand environmental protection regulations as part of efforts to promote the cityas a safe, friendly and quality travel destination.

Domestictravel would be the core market for the next few months and safe destinationswould be preferred during the recovery period, he said.

Authoritiesin An Giang province have ordered tourist sites and historic relics to strictlycomply with infection prevention measures after reopening.

Disinfectantsprays, hand sanitisers, face masks, and safe physical distancing of at leastone metre are mandatory requirements at tourist destinations.

Nguyen KhanhHiep, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism,said there were only 50,000 visitors during the four-day holidays from April 30to May 3, a low number compared to last year.

But itindicated green shoots of recovery considering most popular touristdestinations nation-wide have been empty due to COVID-19 fears, Hiep said.

Speaking atan online meeting held by the Vietnam Tourism Association on May 6, Le ThanhPhong, Vice Chairman of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association, said the regionis fully prepared to implement a campaign launched by the Ministry of Culture,Sports and Tourism to revive the industry hardest hit by the pandemic.

A total of33 hotels, restaurants and tourist sites in the delta have registered to jointhe campaign, which offers discounts of 20-40 percent on tours and services, hesaid.

The MekongDelta Tourism Association is working with the HCM City Tourism Association toorganise farm trips to tourist destinations in the delta, he said.

MauroGasparotti, director of Savills Hotels Asia Pacific, said: “It is the localmarket that represents the first stage of recovery. Following VietnameseGovernment regulations on social distancing, a majority of hotels andresorts in Vietnam have been closed but most are planning to reopen in Maywith attractive local promotions.

“However,people are likely to remain sceptical about flying and the safety of crowdedairports, so it may take a little longer to feel comfortable boarding planes.

“The large numberof local travellers and Vietnamese outbound tourist numbers, which reached 10million in 2018, are all great metrics to rely on for a solid re-start”./.