Minister Dao Ngoc Dung disagrees with the proposal for a 5-day holiday on September 2nd.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the National Assembly (NA) this morning (June 10) about the proposal of a 5-day holiday on September 2 by the General Department of Tourism, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed: "I listen very much to the opinions of the General Department of Tourism and I welcome these proposed initiatives."

However, Mr. Dung said that arranging a 5-day holiday on September 2nd must be carefully considered and calculated from many aspects, and the overall impact must be assessed.

According to Minister Dung, there are several issues that need to be discussed.

First of all, September 2 falls in the middle of the week, the distance between the week and the holidays is too far, so it is unreasonable to swap or compensate for the days off.

Second, recently, we have implemented epidemic prevention measures and social distancing for a very long time, so workers and students have had to take a very long break.

“This is the time when we must carry out the dual task of both preventing and fighting the epidemic and focusing on restoring production and the labor market. To do so, we must focus on developing production and economic growth,” said Mr. Dung.

Third reason, Minister Dung said, currently, there are about 55 million workers, according to the current Ministry of Labor and legal regulations, compensatory leave or time off, or exchange in the business sector, the employer will consider and decide.

For the remaining public employees, civil servants, and state sector workers, the Government, as the employer, will consider this decision.

"Thus, if we make a decision, the number will only be about 2 million people, compared to 55 million workers, which is very small, only about 4-5%, not too big of an impact on economic development and tourism development," the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs analyzed.

Fourth, according to Mr. Dung, September 2 is the occasion to prepare for the school opening. Therefore, if the school breaks are organized from September 2 to 5, it will be difficult for students to participate because they still have to go to school. "It is difficult for parents to go on vacation and leave their children at home," Mr. Dung said.

Therefore, Mr. Dung thinks that this is an occasion for parents to take care of their children, prepare books, take their children to school, and create a school festival for students.

“For such fundamental reasons, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and my personal opinion do not support this proposal. I have reported this issue to the Government leaders and the Prime Minister has agreed with my proposal,” Minister Dao Ngoc Dung affirmed.

Previously, the Director General of the General Department of Tourism, in a meeting with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, more than 30 tourism businesses proposed extending the National Day holiday on September 2 to 5 days with the reason: International tourism is frozen due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, so domestic tourism is promoted, the proposal to extend the September 2 holiday this year is to encourage people to travel.

The General Director said that the September 2nd holiday this year falls on Wednesday, which is also the 75th anniversary of National Day, and could last until the end of the week to stimulate tourism, giving people the opportunity to explore and travel domestically, and then arrange appropriate compensation time.