Join hands to overcome difficulties

Experiencing the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies and agencies in the tourism industry and related services had to suspend operations regarding travel, transportation, accommodation services, etc.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Hieu, Director of Hong Hieu Trading and Travel Co., Ltd, says: “We must have policies to support each other. Specifically, policies on prices, policies between the parties, from transportation to accommodation, to overcome difficulties together. Travel is the unit that connects services, but if the parties are not working together, it is very difficult to solve this problem ”. Sharing the same point of view, Mr. Cao Tan Dung, Deputy Director of Can Tho Fiditour Travel, says: “To have good products with good quality, it is necessary to combine many factors such as destination, transportation, and accommodation. However, travel agencies are now more passive as customers quickly cancel tours and services due to the complicated situation of the COVID-19 which recurs in the peak season. We face many difficulties when it comes to solving problems that constantly arise, especially obstacles from the operating mechanism of airlines and transportations”.

This is the general situation that the travel agencies have struggled to endure over the past time. When booking services for customers, travel agencies have to send a deposit to partners. When the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly happened, customers hastily canceled tours or changed the contracts, and the travel agencies had to suffer heavy losses. Deposit may be withheld by some agencies for a limited period of 3-6 months. However, many cases cannot be resolved. Ms. Luong Thi Quynh, Deputy Director of Vietravel Can Tho, says: “Nowadays, customer psychology has changed. They consider and decide to travel just a few days before departure based on the pandemic situation. This really puts pressure on travel agencies, especially transportation services. For long-time travel firms with a stable source of tourists, we often have booking contracts with airlines. However, we still need to have more flexible timing or transition policies”. On the other hand, in order to build an effective stimulus program, travel agencies also need information about new destinations, tourism products, and so on, to build tour programs and stimulus products to attract tourists.

To stimulate demand effectively

Stimulating tourism demand requires the cooperation of many companies. Fortunately, they are all ready for this work. Mr. Nguyen Bac Toan, Vietjet Air Commercial Director, says: “We always have a flexible policy to effectively support our partners in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. The airline also suffered heavy losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are always ready to have an appropriate price policy for tour operators to build tours at a preferential price. Moreover, we also have cancellation policies from time to time. To support Can Tho and the Mekong Delta provinces, we are willing to negotiate with all sides to have the best and effective stimulus price frameworks”. Ms. Vo Xuan Thu, Manager of Victoria Can Tho Hotel, adds: “We have a flexible pricing policy. Our partners can preserve the deposit for 6 months. Moreover, they can use it flexibly in our services and systems in the provinces and cities in Vietnam. In terms of promotion, tourism activities in Can Tho are currently going very well with hotels being filled up on weekends. Therefore, we consider creating more activities during the week, while enhancing the promotional activities, and linking more destinations ”.

Regarding the state management, Mr. Phan Van Giau, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province, says: “The promotional activities must be effective, quality, central and diverse. The linkage must create a new trend and have a more comprehensive solution. Promotional products must be new and unique”. Sharing the same point of view, Mr. Nguyen Khanh Tung, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City, says: “In the past, localities used to promote and advertise their products and services individually. Therefore, the tourism brand in the Mekong Delta region has not been formed and promoted, and the airline connection has not been effectively utilized. So this time, the tourism sector in 9 localities and cities of the Mekong Delta region will join hands to find solutions and build up a promotion plan with a newer, more direct and effective approach”.

To accomplish this mission, the city and provinces in the Mekong Delta agree to implement the stimulus program in two phases. First, from April 9th to April 30th and from May 1st to August is the time to welcome summer tourism - the main season of the industry. Specifically, the city and provinces in the Mekong Delta will focus on key events such as the Mekong Delta tourism stimulus conference held in the city of Can Tho, the promotion conference held in Thanh Hoa, the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) tourism fair - Hanoi 2021, a program to welcome famtrip groups and fresstrip groups from Hai Phong, Nghe An to Can Tho and the provinces in the Mekong Delta. On this basis, the localities in the Mekong Delta will establish new tourism destinations and create new products. Moreover, they will create a series of events from now to the end of the year and select promotional and stimulus programs suitable for each locality and participating enterprises. Can Tho and Hau Giang will be the key cities in these activities.

In order to perform the dual task of ensuring safety and revitalizing the tourism industry, Many localities and businesses in the Mekong Delta are unanimously joining hands in implementing specific plans as well as accomplishing the missions with the hope to support the tourism sector of the Mekong Delta region to overcome the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic