After brief lull, foreign tourists throng Nha Trang beaches again

By Xuan Ngoc   February 21, 2020 | 05:23 pm PT
Thousands of Russian tourists are basking in the sun at Nha Trang beaches with no worries whatsoever over the coronavirus epidemic.
The weather in Nha Trang, a famous beach town in the country and a haven of Chinese and Russian tourists, on Thursday was sunny and cool, prompting many foreign tourists flock the 12-km-long beach along Tran Phu Street to swim and sit on smooth sands stretching along the coast. The crowds became busier when Khanh Hoa is preparing dossiers to be declared free of Covid-19 after recording no new patient for 30 days.

The famous beach destination is bustling even as the Ministry of Health said Monday that Khanh Hoa Province, where it is located, could be declared free of the novel coronavirus epidemic soon. The central province has not recorded a single infection for 30 days.

Typically a top destination for Chinese and Russian tourists, with the former dominating, Nha Trang tourism had experienced a setback in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus, which broke out in China, being declared an epidemic in Vietnam on February 1. Flights to and from China have been banned, and other entry restrictions are in force.

However, on Thursday, the sunny and cool weather attracted thousands of foreign tourists, mostly Russians, to the 12-km-long beach along Tran Phu Street in Nha Trang. 

Most of chairs and umbrellas along the beach, arranged by hotels for their guests, are fully filled. Most of tourists in Nha Trang currently are Russians.Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, deputy director of Khanh Hoas tourism department, said that Cam Ranh International Airport, around on ehour from Nha Trang, welcomed about 54,000 Russian tourists in January, a year-on-year increase of 10 percent. It is expected that the locality will welcome 52,000 Russian visitors this month. Thanh said that Russian visitors remained the stable market of the province during the Covid-19 season.

Most of the chairs and umbrellas along the beach, arranged by hotels for their guests, were taken up.

Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, deputy director of Khanh Hoa's tourism department, said that Cam Ranh International Airport, around an hour from Nha Trang, welcomed about 54,000 Russian tourists in January, a year-on-year increase of 10 percent.

It is expected that the locality will welcome 52,000 Russian visitors this month. She said Russia has remained a stable tourism market for the province despite the coronavirus epidemic.

A Russian man, only identified as Vladimir swims in giant waves after playing on the sand. He felt comfortable because the weather in the coastal townwas quite quite nice and sunny. After arriving in Nha Trang on February 18 and learning that a local resident infected with the virus, but he was not worried.A hotel receptionist in Nha Trang who caught the novel coronavirus infection from two Chinese was discharged from hospital on February 4.Life of local residents was bustling, contrary to his concerns about the previous epidemic situation. I dont see anyone coughing or sick at all. I dont worry about Covid-19 epidemic.

Vladmir, a Russian, gets into the water with heel fins. He said he was enjoying the nice and sunny weather.

After arriving in Nha Trang on February 18, Vladmir had learnt that one resident of Khanh Hoa had been infected with the virus, but he was not worried. "I don't see anyone coughing or sick at all. I don't worry about the Covid-19.

A Russian woman spreads a towel for her child to bathe while her husband swims into the sea. During their familys first visit to Nha Trang, they have dropped by popular tourist destinations in the town such Stone Church and Ponagar Tower.

A Russian woman spreads a towel for her child to lie down while her husband swims in the sea. It is the family's first visit to Nha Trang and they have visited the Stone Church and Ponagar Tower so far.

A Russian woman, identified only as Irina, reads a book while lying on the beach. She and her husband will visit Da Lat, a popular resort town in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong and Phan Thiet, a coastal town in Binh Thuan Province after leaving Nha Trang. The couple are not worried much about the risk of Covid-19 epidemic in Vietnam. I and my husband will return to Vietnam, especially Nha Trang because this place is beautiful, she said.

Irina, a Russian tourist, reads a book, lying on the beach. She and her husband plan to visit Da Lat, a popular resort town in the Central Highlands and Phan Thiet, a central coastal town, after leaving Nha Trang.

The couple are not worried much about the risks of the coronavirus epidemic in Vietnam, she said. "My husband and I will return to Vietnam, especially Nha Trang because this place is beautiful."

Starting from February 1, Vietnam suspended all flights to and from China for fears of Covid-19 epidemic and stopped granting visas for those from and going through epidemic-stricken areas. This has strongly affected Khanh Hoas tourism, which is heavily dependent on Chinese tourists. Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province have estimated the central province lost VND9 trillion ($387 million) in tourism revenues so far due to a fall in number of foreign tourists, mainly Chinese tourists.

An elderly vendor walks on the sands, trying to interest tourists into tasting her snacks.

On February 1, Vietnam suspended all flights to and from China and stopped granting visas for those from or going through epidemic-stricken areas. This strongly affected Khanh Hoa's tourism industry, which is heavily dependent on Chinese tourists.

Authorities in Khanh Hoa Province estimated the central province has lost VND9 trillion ($387 million) in tourism revenues so far, particularly because of the absence of visitors from China.

Vietnam has so far recorded 16 cases of novel coronavirus infection, of whom 15 have recovered.

The global death toll has climbed to 2,360, mostly in mainland China, and confirmed infections topped 77,672. Nearly 20,900 of those have recovered.

 
 
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