Travellers around the world are being encouraged to stay home today, travel tomorrow. This is responsible advice during the Covid-19 crisis, but will have a negative impact on communities, organisations and places that depend on tourism.
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Leave Hanoi behind and venture into uncharted experiences. In the far north, Cao Bang presents Pac Bo Cave, where Ho Chi Minh planned the country’s liberation, and nearby 35-meter Ban Gioc Waterfall. Further west in Bac Kan, sail between forested limestone mountains on Ba Be’s three lakes, and cruise past small villages to Dau Dang Falls tumbling 1,000 meters to Puong Cave.
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would like to reiterate that Thailand’s public and private sectors nationwide have been implementing strict health surveillance and preventive measures as part of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention.
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Those who have had to cancel or cut short trips to Vietnam, or are unable to travel to the country this year may enjoy exploring the activities in the ‘Stay At Home‘ kit, created by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) together with the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB).
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has initiated its first-ever official online tourism marketplace “Thailand Tourism Virtual Market” (TTVM) as a new tool to expand tourism markets and connect Thai sellers and buyers around the world to get closer via an online travel trade networking platform – https://virtualmart.tourismthailand.org/. The project will be launched for its first B2B networking today (15 May, 2020).
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The Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering a tax of 300 baht or less per person for foreign arrivals that could cover pandemic insurance, once inbound flights and tourism activities resume in the country.
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Vietnam’s tourism industry has gotten an early start to recovery, with domestic demand set to spearhead growth, as the country becomes the first in South-east Asia to lift social distancing restrictions.
The lifting of social distancing restrictions was announced by the Vietnamese government on April 24, setting the stage for the return of domestic tourism. Restaurants in the country have started filling up again and some airlines are operating domestically. From April 23, VietJet started six daily flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Jeff Redl, managing director of Diethelm Travel Vietnam, said: “It’s a very positive signal. The demand seems to be quite strong as per information received from several hotels.”
Linh Le, principal and co-founder of Luxperia, said with restrictions lifted, many city dwellers had planned trips to the coast for the four-day holiday from April 30 to May 4. However, he noted that the cost of flights is significantly higher, making flying more of a luxury than previously.
Added Le: “Hotels are offering some good deals with added value, however, while domestic tourism will increase, its pre-pandemic high-performance shall be shortened this year. Savvy operators are to tap into local micro and niche markets to attain some recovery of business within domestic tourism.”
Michael Piro, CEO of Wink Hotels, said he is slowly starting to see a “modest” pickup in bookings. He added: “We believe the market will continue to show signs of improvement towards the end of the year.”
Piro predicts the recovery will initially be led by business travel, transitioning to leisure-driven travel through the summer months. To further stimulate domestic demand, he said discounts and promotions will be used to encourage locals to travel.
A program titled “Vietnamese People Travel in Vietnam” has been launched to stimulate domestic tourism and help people travel in the new normal context.
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Thailand has allowed domestic air travel to resume, with Nok Air, AirAsia, Thai Lion Air and Thai Vietjet Air returning to the air last Friday.
The flights were operated between 14 airports and Bangkok’s Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi. The 14 airports are in Lampang, Mae Sot (Tak), Phitsanulok, Buri Ram, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Roi Et, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Krabi.
All domestic flights are operating under strict requirements, including social distancing (for example during embarkation and disembarkation) as well as compulsory face masks for all passengers and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear for flight crew.
Nattapong Saengsirirattana, managing director of Thai Leisure Co., told TTG Asia that at this stage, there would still be little to no likelihood of domestic tourism.
“We haven’t reached that stage yet. With the current inter-provincial travel regulations, it’s too difficult,” he said, referencing the increased inspections and forced quarantines upon entry in provinces such as Buri Ram or Phitsanulok.
In those provinces, upon arrival, travellers wishing to remain in the province must self-quarantine for 14 days. Their identification documents will be withheld by the authority during the quarantine.
In Nakhon Phanom, non-Thais are altogether barred from entering unless permitted by the governor, and in Krabi, non-residents are barred from entering unless certified to be free from the coronavirus from the point of origin. Travellers without a health certificate will be quarantined at local quarantine centres at their own expense.
Non-residents, except those with proven work commitments in the province, are prohibited from entering Trang.
All provincial governors have been allowed to implement their own measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, provided those measures are as strict or stricter than those prescribed by the national-level Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Nattapong opined that airlines resuming operations would face costs challenges.
“With social distancing measures, small planes would most likely be able to fit a maximum of two passengers per row, seated at the window. Due to the new restrictions, they’re also losing income from in-flight F&B purchases,” he said, musing that airfares might rise to cover higher costs.
The Tourism Council of Thailand is preparing to start its ‘We Love Thailand’ campaign in collaboration with the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to stimulate domestic tourism after the Covid-19 situation normalises, council president Chairat Trirattanajarasporn said.
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