Vingroup unit shuts down resorts as coronavirus takes toll on tourism

By Nguyen Ha March 4, 2020 | 10:00 pm PT

Tourists swim in a swimming pool at a Vinpearl resort in Nha Trang Town. Photo by Shutterstock/Sam's Studio.

Vinpearl will shut down seven of its resorts and golf courses, some for “maintenance” and others indefinitely after the coronavirus hit demand.

The company, a unit of Vietnam’s biggest listed company Vingroup, said Vinpearl Luxury Phu Quoc, Vinpearl Resort & Golf Phu Quoc, Vinpearl Discovery 3 Phu Quoc, Vinpearl Resort & Spa Hoi An, and Vinpearl Resort & Spa Da Nang would be closed indefinitely.

Vinpearl Discovery 1 Nha Trang and Vinpearl Condotel Empire Nha Trang will remain shut until March 31.

Customers who are booked services at these seven places will be transferred to nearby Vinpearl locations with an upgrade.

Vinpearl operates 35 resorts and hotels, five entertainment complexes and four golf courses around Vietnam.

Vingroup’s revenues from hospitality and entertainment, mostly under the Vinpearl brand, rose 18 percent last year to VND8.8 trillion ($378.8 million).

The novel coronavirus epidemic shaved $7 billion off Vietnam’s tourism revenues in January-February, while the number of hotel guests were down 60-70 percent, according to official figures.