Travel firms suffer losses after tour cancellations due to COVID-19
Travel firms have suffered great losses from thousands of recent tour cancellations due to a new outbreak of COVID-19, according to tourism associations.
HCMCity (VNS/VNA) - Travel firms have suffered great losses fromthousands of recent tour cancellations due to a new outbreak ofCOVID-19, according to tourism associations.
Reports from leading travel firms in HCM City show that nearly 40,000bookings for tour packages, free and easy tours, hotels, air tickets andtravel services have been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19.
Customers have mostly dropped tours to the central city of Da Nangwhile tours to other popular tourist destinations such as Phu Quoc Island,Nha Trang city, Da Lat city and Hanoi in August and September have alsobeen cancelled.
Nguyen Thi Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Association of Tourism, saidtravel firms have been hit hard by many tour cancellations due to fearsover the recurrence of COVID-19.
Most customers have requested 100 percent refunds for paidexpenses, and only a few have agreed to schedule their trips at a laterdate.
Many travel firms have made payments to airlines, transport companies,hotels and restaurants, and are not receiving refunds from them, Khanhsaid. Many travel firms haveseen losses because they have not received refundsfor deposits or service payments for airlines, transporters,accommodations and catering services, but have given refunds to theircustomers.
Airline and tourism service providers have been encouraged not tofine travel firms for tour cancellations and postponement, and offerthem refunds.
Khanh also called on customers to share losses with travel firms by acceptingpostponement of their trips instead of asking for cancellations and fullrefunds.
Hoang Van Vinh, chairman of Khanh Hoa province’s Tourism Association, said theassociation had sent notes to tourism service providers in the province, askingthem to give refunds to travel firms and remove penalties for breach ofcontracts./.
Authorities of the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City are continuously taking preventive measures to ensure safety for tourists while supporting travel businesses to overcome difficulties and devising policies to promote tourism for the post-pandemic period.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism has asked authorities in all districts to take measures to control the spread of disease in rental apartments and lodging facilities.
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Nha Trang beach (Photo: VNA) 
