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BUSINESS REPORT

Long journey ahead

Tourism businesses have begun the arduous task
of getting back on track but the problems are multitude.

MY LINH Reports

he Covid-19 outbreak and the result- 95.9 per cent year-on-year, while the num- ings. The company catered to nearly 1 mil-
ing social distancing measures intro- ber of domestic tourists reached some 40 lion visitors in 2019, earning revenue of
T duced around Vietnam saw tourism million, down 29 per cent. Total revenue VND7 trillion ($306.9 million). In 2020,
demand tumble and heavy restrictions stood at VND180 trillion ($7.89 billion), however, tourist numbers fell to 350,000
imposed on those who needed to travel down 40 per cent compared to 2020. and revenue VND1.6 trillion ($70.15 mil-
for whatever reason. “Businesses in both tourism and aviation lion). The 2021 figures are expected to
According to figures from the Vietnam and specifically Vietravel have been going only be about 10 per cent of those posted
National Administration of Tourism through an unprecedented period of crisis,” in 2019. The four Covid-19 outbreaks Viet-
(VNAT), international visitors to Vietnam said Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of nam has now experienced, he said, have
last year are estimated at 157,300, down the Board of Directors at Vietravel Hold- put Vietravel’s development back 14 years.

20 | VIETNAM ECONOMIC TIMES | MARCH 2022 www.en.vneconomy.vn