'Green Tourism Connection' gradually restores Nghe An tourism
(Baonghean.vn) - At this time, it is still necessary to identify domestic tourism as the main driving force for development. The safety factor can only be controlled when ensuring green connections - safe connections between tourists and workers in the tourism sector, between destinations and between services in the service supply chain for tourists.
After four consecutive outbreaks, especially the fourth outbreak with a new, more dangerous strain, the complex and unpredictable developments have affected almost all aspects of economic and social life, the tourism industry.Nghe An provinceLike many other provinces and cities in the country, it is inevitable that the vortex of difficulties and crises will occur, and the crisis will sometimes reach rock bottom when all activities of picking up and dropping off guests are paralyzed, many tourism businesses cannot survive, and are forced to close, stop doing business, or switch to other industries to make a living.
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| The number of tourists to Nghe An has decreased due to the impact of the pandemic. Photo: QA |
According to statistics, domestic tourists nationwide in the first 8 months of the year reached 31.2 million visitors (down 5.5% over the same period in 2020).
Particularly for Nghe An province, in the first 9 months of 2021, the whole province welcomed 1,670 thousand visitors, equal to 61.29% over the same period in 2020, of which the number of overnight visitors was estimated at 1,309 thousand, equal to 63.94% over the same period; international visitors were estimated at 3,196, equal to 16.94% over the same period; tourism service revenue was estimated at VND 1,049 billion, equal to 50% over the same period in 2020.
Currently, along with increasingly drastic and effective epidemic prevention solutions of authorities at all levels from the central to local levels, from the province to the grassroots level, and along with that is the acceleration of vaccination in the whole province, the resumption of intra-provincial tourism activities of some localities that have basically controlled the epidemic are starting to plan to restore operations.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has promptly issued stimulus policies to restore tourism and travel activities, bringing many positive signals for the tourism industry to gradually recover. However, the problem is how to both unblock the tourism market to meet tourists' needs and ensure epidemic prevention safety.
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| Accommodation establishments strictly implement epidemic prevention measures. Photo: QA |
At this time, it is still necessary to identify domestic tourism as the main driving force for development. The safety factor can only be controlled when ensuring green connections - safe connections between tourists and workers in the tourism sector, between destinations and between services in the service supply chain for tourists.
To do this, tourism products must meet five “green” criteria, including: Green pass, green business, green corridor, green destination and green service.In addition to regulations on full vaccination requirements, having a certificate of recovery from the epidemic, and a negative PCR test certificate for tour participants, units need to cooperate to build tour tourism products and closed services with close supervision by travel companies on the basis of developing a safe tour operation plan for each type.
To do so, tourism businesses need to make specific changes in the way they provide services to tourists at each stage, from transportation, accommodation, restaurants, and destinations. For example, in transportation, means of transport, routes, attractions, and even stops must be fixed and controlled. In accommodation, contactless check-in and check-out should be applied, rooms should be arranged in groups or families with similar epidemiological factors to easily control epidemic prevention safety. In addition to service rooms, there should be specialized isolation rooms.
At restaurants, it is also necessary to arrange dining areas for groups or families, but ensure distance, only serve at the table, minimize buffet-style dining, and ask guests to limit movement during meals. Or when taking guests to green tourist destinations, it is also necessary to take into account the tightness and openness of the space, the capacity of the service location to arrange to serve the appropriate number of guests to ensure distance.
Tour operators need to be prepared for possible situations and how to handle them. For example, in the past, when a group member had a health problem, the tour guide would immediately contact the nearest medical facility for assistance. Now, if a tourist is found to have symptoms of suspected infection,SARS-CoV-2,The first thing to do is to immediately isolate this person from the group and then call for help from local medical staff. Plans for picking up and dropping off guests must always be developed based on consultation with specialized agencies to have the most correct, fastest and narrowest handling process. Travel agencies also need to agree and clarify with tourists in advance about the content related to testing, such as the number of tests, testing time, and medical expenses incurred right on the travel contract.
According to experts, in order to organize safe tourism programs in the new normal state, it is necessary to have the participation of localities, green destinations, recommended green routes for customers to choose from, a list of units providing safe tourism services, ensuring quality, and especially there must be close connections between localities to limit barriers in the process of moving and connecting between points.
Most recently, the Vietnam Tourism Association has developed the “National Domestic Tourism Recovery Program to Overcome the Consequences of the Covid-19 Pandemic, Phase 4”. With the theme “Green Connection of Vietnam Tourism”.
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| Thanh Chuong tea hill. Photo: BNA |
In the immediate future, focus on organizing communication activities to restore and reopen tourism activities with the message "Nghe An people go"Nghe An tourism", "Vietnamese people travel to Vietnam" and "Nghe An tourism is safe, friendly and attractive" in newspapers, magazines, and television stations at the central and local levels; through websites, social networks, and online tourism events at home and abroad.
Build safe, attractive tours and routes, full-service packages such as "day trip" or "2 days, 1 night" tours for small groups to explore green tourist destinations, green tourist routes to explore and experience the Western region and Nghe An. Build a MICE tourism model for the central region and Cua Lo and Nam Dan areas.
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| Western Nghe An is an attractive destination for domestic and international tourists. Photo: BNA |
As a unit assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to carry out activities on investment, trade and tourism promotion in Nghe An province, the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion has been carrying out many specific activities to enhance promotion and tourism promotion information in many direct and online forms.
Develop publications and clips to introduce and promote tourism and unique tourism products of Nghe An province on mass media; Support businesses to participate in tourism events on digital platforms, enhance training activities, and provide information support for businesses on the unit's media information pages (Website, Fanpage, Zalo, Youtobe, ...).
Currently, the Center has also developed a plan to connect and accompany businesses and related units to participate in a series of events at the Vietnam International Tourism Fair - VITM Hanoi 2021, scheduled to be held on November 25-28, 2021, including events to promote tourism products of Nghe An province to domestic and foreign tourists. Build virtual booths to participate in major tourism events such as the "Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, 17th time 2021" in an online format, scheduled from November 27 to December 27, 2021. Develop a plan to participate in an exhibition to promote Nghe An's image, its potentials and advantages to attract investment, introduce tourism products and promote trade cooperation between Nghe An and the Middle East market at the World Expo Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), scheduled to start from December 2021 to March 2022,...
With the highest determination and efforts, with new thinking and ways of doing things, turning existing difficulties and challenges into motivation to carry out tasks. In the coming time, the Center will actively coordinate with the Department of Tourism, provincial departments, branches, localities and related units and organizations to deploy effective and practical tasks and solutions to restore and develop tourism in Nghe An province, adapting, safe and flexible in the new situation./.