Covid-19 resurgence exacts tourism toll

By Dat Nguyen August 31, 2020 | 10:00 pm PT

A beach in Nha Trang Town, central Khanh Hoa Province, is deserted on August 2, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Xuan Ngoc.

Tourism revenues fell 61.8 percent over July to VND974 billion ($42 million) in August as the Covid-19 resurgence slashed travel demand.

This brought revenues for the first eight months to VND13.1 trillion ($569 million), down 54.4 percent year-on-year, compared to a corresponding 10 percent growth last year, according to the General Statistics Office.

The most severe drops in the first eight months were seen in Khanh Hoa Province at 76.6 percent, followed by Ho Chi Minh City, the provinces of Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Quang Nam and Kien Giang. Da Nang City, the epicenter of the second outbreak, saw a 63.6 percent drop.

Revenues from lodging, food and drinks in the first eight months fell 16 percent year-on-year to VND322.5 trillion.

The tourism sector served 3.77 million visitors in the first eight months, down 66.6 percent year-on-year, with the government closing is borders and canceling all international flights except for special cases like repatriation and the entry of foreign experts and skilled workers under stringent conditions.

The number of visitors from China, traditionally Vietnam’s largest tourism market, dropped 72.3 percent year-on-year in the first eight months, followed by South Korea (70.5 percent) and Japan (67.4 percent).

Last year, Vietnam welcomed 18 million foreign tourists, up 16.2 percent year-on-year.