QuangNinh (VNS/VNA) – Northern Quang Ninh province is one of thelocalities that have well-controlled the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost nocases of infection in the past 3 months. Utilising many solutions to catchup with the “new normal”, it is gradually recovering its tourism industry bymaking domestic travellers a focus.

Inorder for the tourism industry to regain its growth momentum, Quang Ninh isusing many methods.

Visitorsare entitled to free tickets to visit Ha Long Bay, the Yen Tu tourism site and QuangNinh Museum from now until the end of 2021, as well as subsidised bus faresfrom Van Don airport to Doc Do, Uong Bi City, and vice versa.

Localtourism and travel businesses are preparing the necessary conditions to resumeoperations as soon as possible and developing programmes to promote safetourism.

According tothe Director of the provincial Tourism Department Pham Ngoc Thuy, 50events are going to be held across the province to stimulate travel demand fromnow to the end of 2021.

Thehighlight will be events to welcome visitors to “Yen Tu - An Autumn Journey toBuddha Land” festival, Ha Long Bay Heritage Marathon and Winter Carnival2021.

Inaddition, the province will also organise events for tourism at the district,town and city level and announce stimulus products to increase tourism.

Thuysaid the provincial People’s Committee had a plan for tourism recovery inthe fourth quarter. It has also completed a provisional set of criteria forCOVID-19 safety evaluation based on a safe travel model devised to minimisepandemic-related risks.

TheYen Tu Monuments and Landscapes Complex in northeastern Quang Ninh is one ofthe tourist destinations currently chosen by many domestic tourists.

Inaddition to strictly implementing safety measures to prevent the pandemic suchas wearing masks, disinfecting, and making medical declarations, the use ofclosed-loop services in Yen Tu is being looked at to ensure safety. For cablecar services, visitors are encouraged to use separate cabins in order tolimit contact and ensure regulations on distance.

Accordingto Le Trong Thanh, Deputy General Director of Tung Lam Development JointStock Company, this is the right time for travel to restart with theinvolvement of relevant parties.

“Wewill implement many promotional programmes and discounts for visitors under theconditions of strictly complying with regulations on pandemic prevention andcontrol,” he said.

“Forexample, in September, the Legacy Yen Tu Resort offered room rates from 2.9million VND per person on Fridays, afternoon tea and other free services.In the area of Yen Tu Village they will apply a price combo for two guests ormore for only 499,000 VND per person. In addition, the company will continue todeploy many tourism products to attract visitors to Yen Tu, including freeearly morning yoga lessons, bell meditation, relaxation meditation and NuongVillage festival night.”

AtHa Long City, the cultural, economic and political centre of Quang Ninh, manyentertainment and resort complexes such as Vinpearl Ha Long, FLC Ha Long andSun World Halong Complex, have readied infrastructure, personnel, and plans onpandemic safety to welcome visitors back.

Touristdestinations are prioritized to welcome visitors who have been fullyvaccinated, as well as offer closed-loop sightseeing services and stays on thebay with small groups of guests.

Allcruise ships are fully equipped with masks, antiseptic, and facilities for medicaldeclarations by scanning QR codes for visitors at attractions near Ha Long Bay.They are also encouraging night tours on the bay that use all-in-one servicesand do not cause pandemic risks.

Alongwith that, the province has also organised a large-scale vaccinationcampaign in all localities.

Asa result, more than 1 million doses of vaccine have been given, reachingover 85.47 percent of the target, making Quang Ninh become one of the earliestlocalities to complete the first shot in the country.

Recoveryplan

Tourismis the industry hardest hit by the pandemic, but also one of the fastest torecover. However, in order for tourism to fully recover, one of theprerequisites is to ensure a safe environment.

Recently,Van Don International Airport has obtained Airport Health Accreditationfrom the Airports Council International. This is an important foundation toopen up new opportunities for Quang Ninh tourism to get back on track.

BambooAirways resumed its service between Van Don airport and Ho Chi Minh City onOctober 27 with three flights a week. Vietjet resumed flights on the route onOctober 31 with one flight every day. Vietnam Airlines is re-opening flights onthe route on December 1 with three flights per week.

Welcomingguests from outside the province will be done with strict regulations, specificsolutions and careful steps.

Toreactivate tourism in the “new normal”, the authorities of Quang Ninh andneighbouring Hai Phòng City held a meeting in late September to discusscooperation in tourism development.

Thetwo sides agreed to keep working together to boost tourism, build a mechanismfor managing passenger and tourist transport vehicles on Ha Long and Lan Habays, and complete a dossier seeking the UNESCO recognition of Ha Long Bay - CatBa Archipelago as a world natural heritage site.

Theyare expected to sign a set of regulations on tourism activities with pandemicsafety taken into account from October, to reopen the industry.

QuangNinh identified safety and risk control as the prerequisite for the localadministration, travel businesses and residents to succeed in implementingthe tourism recovery plan.

Asa safe destination, the province is spreading the message “Quang Ninh Tourism:Safe - Friendly - Alluring” with the aim of welcoming about 2 million touristsand earning 4 - 4.5 trillion VND (175 - 197 million USD) from tourism servicesin the last quarter of 2021./.