Cam Mountain in An Giang province has been much popular with local tourists in recent years. (Photo: laodong.vn) HCM City (VNA) - Provinces in the Mekong Delta have seen adecrease in the number of tourists due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Can Tho City has always been a popular destination in the delta but the numberof tourists was only 467,200 in October and 3.5 million in the first 10 monthsof then year, down 53 percent year-on-year. Revenues from tourism activities inthe latter period were 2,045 billion VND, down 43.4 percent.
According to its Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, though the city hasseveral advantages in terms of location and quality roads and waterway andairway infrastructure, the pandemic has hit the tourism business.
Kien Giang province received 323,000 visitors in October, down 52 percent fromthe same period last year.
In the year-to-date it got 4.6 million tourists, down 39 percent.
Stimulus programmes
According to An Giang province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism,tourism has experienced a slight growth recently following the implementationof some stimulus programmes.
“We are preparing stimulus programmes for upcoming occasions like year-endshopping, Christmas and New Year, together with various tours,” deputy directorof the province's culture and tourism authority Dao Si Tuan said.
“At the same time we have co-ordinated with travel agencies to reduce prices tomultiple destinations."
Ngo Quang Tuyen, deputy director of Dong Thap province's culture and tourismauthority, said the province is offering promotions for handicraft products andspecialities to encourage tourists to buy them.
It has also improved the service quality at the Sa Dec flower village, Lai Vungtangerine garden and Tram Chim National Park, and promoted tourism linksbetween the Mekong Delta provinces and HCM City to attract more tourists duringthe western New Year and Vietnamese traditional Lunar New Year.
Nguyen Khanh Tung, Director of the Can Tho Department of Culture, Sports andTourism, said the city has stepped up efforts to revive tourism and hopes toachieve 60 percent of this year’s target.
The department has collaborated with relevant authorities to offer 10-50 percentdiscounts at hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, shopping centres,entertainment and transportation, and others.
The programme is expected to run through the end of January next year, togetherwith multiple events such as the 2021 Can Tho Spring Flower Street./.
VNA
