After a long period of silence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel, travel, and service industry in Hanoi Ancient Street is bustling and crowded again when the peak tourist season is approaching.

Ms. Tran Thi Hien (business on Tong Duy Tan Street, Hanoi) shared that since tourism reopened, groups of Western visitors have continuously poured in, and sometimes her restaurant capacity is full.

Business establishments that depend largely on tourists, especially international visitors such as souvenir shops, handicrafts, companies selling travel combos or spa salons… are also gradually bustling. 

Although the number of visitors to the old town has gradually become crowded again, it is not equal to the number of visitors before the pandemic, Ms. Ha Thanh Van (manager of Hanoi Hotel, Ma May street) said, the number of guests booking rooms is currently about 40% locals and domestic tourists, and 60% foreign tourists. The business and services of the hotel are gradually recovering when tourism begins to enter the peak tourist season.

“As a culinary street, the number of tourists often gathered here is higher than other areas. Currently, the number of customers using the service at the restaurant has reached about 95%, mainly are foreign guests from Japan and Korea,” said Mr. Tran Cong (manager of a café on Tong Duy Tan Street, Hanoi).

Mr. Phung Quang Thang – Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association – said that domestic tourism activities are growing strongly, especially in the peak summer season.

According to Mr. Thang, the peak season to welcome international visitors to Vietnam usually falls in the period from September to next March. Moreover, the source of international visitors mainly comes from high-spending markets such as Europe, America, Japan, Australia…

Domestic tourism has fully recovered, which is the basis for the whole industry to quickly return to normal activities in the new context, safely adapt, and become a prestigious destination with a competitive position in the international market, according to Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Doan Van Viet.

The Google Destination Insights information page recently showed that the domestic search volume for domestic tourism in May 2022 has increased by 487% over the same period, continuing to increase to 669% in June 2022, this result shows that Vietnam has and is recovering rapidly, becoming a reliable destination for tourists.

Receiving 5 million international visitors is a big challenge, but Mr. Ha Van Sieu – Deputy General Director of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism also said that the tourism industry has not only adjusted its target due to the expectation of the tourist season to welcome international tourists. next September.

To create a breakthrough to attract international visitors in the coming time, Vietnam’s tourism industry will step up promotion work to high-spending markets such as the US, India, etc.

However, to attract international tourists to Vietnam, in addition to the support from the Government, it necessitates that tourist organizations supplement human resources and training current employees in order to increase service quality.

Source: Bao Lao dong