Cua Lo tourism gradually adapts safely to the pandemic

Standing strong in the face of the pandemic

In 2020-2021, the Covid-19 epidemic has seriously affected the socio-economy and general development of Nghe An province, includingCua Lo Town. From April 27, 2021 to December 1, 2021, 155 cases of Covid-19 infection appeared in Cua Lo. To prevent and fight the pandemic, Cua Lo had to block and isolate many residential areas; stop non-essential services such as: Restaurants, food and beverage businesses, cafes, hair salons, beauty salons... When the epidemic appeared, a series of hotels and restaurants in Cua Lo "closed their doors", the seafood market was sluggish. The coastal city, once a bustling resort, fell into a state of desolation and silence in a long sleep.

In the 2022 tourism year, Cua Lo aims to focus on ensuring safety for tourists. Photo courtesy of Le Thang

Fighting against the "Covid-19 enemy", the Party Committee, government and people of Cua Lo town have united, joined forces and deployed effective solutions. Doctor Hoang Khac Tu - Deputy Director of Cua Lo town Medical Center said: "Whenever a case appeared, Cua Lo quickly, seriously and well implemented the blockade, took patients for treatment; investigated, traced, isolated F1 and took samples for SARS-CoV-2 virus testing. Accumulated from the beginning of the epidemic season until now, the town has identified and isolated 2,106 F1 cases; monitored and isolated 3,956 F2 cases; collected 27,080 test samples...".

Cua Lo is the first locality in Nghe An to socialize community screening tests; to quarantine F1 cases at home. Thanks to the proactive implementation of Covid-19 epidemic prevention, outbreaks in the coastal town were detected early and quickly extinguished... And to prevent and control the epidemic in a sustainable and long-term manner, along with Vinh city, Cua Lo is one of the first two localities in the province to effectively implement Covid-19 vaccination coverage. The number of people over 18 years old in the town who received at least 1 dose of Covid-19 vaccine is 61,672 (over 98%), the number of people who received 2 doses is 26,399.

Cua Lo Town organized testing for more than 800 traders and regular workers at Nghi Thuy fishing port to ensure disease prevention. Photo courtesy of QA

Under the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, tourism "lost its season". Cua Lo has had a timely economic restructuring; shifting development direction with a long-term vision, calculating for the "post-Covid-19" period. The town has transformed the structure of crops and livestock; focused on building and replicating safe vegetable and flower growing models; restoring abandoned land; implementing the One Commune One Product program, building OCOP products; building brands for craft village products; encouraging people to continue developing the marine economy... In the field of culture - society, the town issued and focused on implementing the Project "Improving the quality of cultural life in Cua Lo town for the period 2021 - 2025"; effectively implementing socialization work to build a civilized urban area; promoting the movement to build model residential areas.

Although affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, thanks to practical policies, suitable to the actual situation and taking advantage of local advantages to develop the economy, the total production value of the town is estimated at 10,130 billion VND, up 5.8% compared to 2020; Total exploited aquatic and marine products reached 16,636 tons, up 9.4% over the same period in 2020. Industrial production and construction continued to grow. In 2021, the rate of cultural sector reached 87.1%, cultural families reached 85%. Urban beautification in Cua Lo has many highlights. Close-knit cadres, responsible people, with the goal of building a residential area with developed economy, good living environment, beautiful landscape, and promoted culture.

Restoring safe adaptive tourism

Every year, Cua Lo Town always allocates budget for urban beautification. Photo: MH

The results achieved in 2021 are the important premise and foundation for Cua Lo town to continue to create momentum to implement socio-economic development solutions in the context of the ongoing pandemic... Entering 2022, Cua Lo set the goal of restoring tourism in conditions of safe adaptation to the Covid-19 pandemic. To achieve the goal, the town's Party Committee and government have developed a tourism development plan, with specific calculations for each scenario.

According to forecasts, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has and will cause the world economy to fall into recession, the demand for tourism and entertainment of international tourists will decrease. Cua Lo focuses on attracting domestic tourists. For domestic tourists, there are 2 scenarios: One is that the domestic epidemic situation is well controlled, tourism activities return to a new normal state; two is that the domestic epidemic situation has not been completely controlled... In both of these scenarios, the most fundamental and fundamental common problem that Cua Lo poses is to ensure absolute safety for tourists.

Road to Cua Lo Town center. Photo courtesy of Lam Tung

Mr. Hoang Van Phuc - Vice Chairman of Cua Lo Town People's Committee said: To ensure safety for tourists, the town will continue to focus on doing a good job of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic. In particular, directing restaurants, hotels, and service establishments to strictly implement the 5K recommendations in business such as wearing masks, disinfecting...; strengthening temporary residence declaration and health declaration, especially for tourists returning from provinces and cities across the country. The town People's Committee will establish interdisciplinary inspection teams to regularly inspect tourist service establishments and strictly handle those who do not ensure safety in epidemic prevention and control.

Nghi Thuy fish market is bustling with buyers and sellers. Photo courtesy of Hai Vuong

In addition, the Town People's Committee has also directed the Town Police to develop a plan to ensure security and order during the tourist season; a project to build the image of the coastal police to ensure security and order in tourism. The Town coordinates with functional agencies to establish and participate in food safety inspection teams with the determination to ensure safety, absolutely not allowing food poisoning to occur in the area. Cua Lo also arranges a full marine rescue team, rescue and search and rescue team, always ready to deal with situations, operating throughout the tourist year.

“With the characteristic that 70% of the workers in the town are small traders, participating in trading, the town will strengthen community screening to detect cases as soon as possible if any. In the unfortunate situation where a case appears, Cua Lo town will focus on handling and suppressing the epidemic with the motto of narrow, serious and strict blockade; not allowing the epidemic to spread, affecting the normal activities of other areas. If any tourists coming to Cua Lo are unfortunately affected by the epidemic, the town will provide maximum support, ensuring the safety of tourists” - Comrade Pham Thi Hong Toan, Secretary of Cua Lo Town Party Committee affirmed.

According to Secretary of Cua Lo Town Party Committee Pham Thi Hong Toan, the Covid-19 epidemic in Cua Lo has been contained. However, in order for Cua Lo tourism to reopen and develop soon, the town will continue to carry out the vaccination campaign well on schedule, ensuring safety. In addition, the town will also continue to create and improve the quality of local destinations, safely adapting to the Covid-19 epidemic; at the same time, focus on developing key products; research and form new products, associated with local strengths; establish more tourism service clubs; create many convenient services for tourists, attract travel agencies; promote communication and promotion of destinations and tourism products associated with safe tourism, ensuring prevention of Covid-19 epidemic...

Thanh Chung - Thanh Cuong