Vietnam's tourism likely to lose 840,000 international arrivals
Par Vietnam aujourd'hui le mercredi 24 juin 2009, 08:35 - News in english - Lien permanent
The outbreak of influenza A(HIN1) and the global economic recession will cost the country a possible 20 percent drop in international tourist arrivals this year, or around 840,000, according to Hoang Tuan Anh, minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Anh told the Daily on Friday that the ministry estimated that Vietnam would receive 3.3 million international tourists this year, down from the over 4.2 million of last year.
"Foreign tourist arrivals declined at a rate of over 18 percent from January to May. Influenza A (HIN1) is starting to affect the sector and the financial crisis is not over. We need to launch an evaluation of the real situation to find ways to cope with hard times;' Anh said.
The tourism sector late last year aimed to receive 4.5 million visitors this year.
This is the tourism industry's second crisis of the decade. The SARS outbreak in 2003 kept many tourists out of Vietnam and cost the country nearly 200,000 international visitors.
The ministry is hoping that domestic travel will help the tourism sector to maintain revenue.
"Domestic tourists increased 12 percent from January to May. The sector's turnover was higher. The ministry has set the goal of raising the number of domestic tourists and making people spend more on travelling;' Anh said.
Recognising domestic tourism as the driving force of the industry, the ministry will cooperate with tour operators to attract tourists. The ministry will meet this week to discuss new promotions for the second phase of "Impressive Vietnam~ the national promotion campaign for travel to Vietnam.
The Saigon Times Daily - June 24, 2009
Commentaires
On s' active un peu la.
Le tourisme est dans sa periode creuse et reprendra mi aout. Donc entre aujourd' hui et aout, ils ont le temps de voir venir.
A mon sens, Ils devraient plus se soucier de l' etat de l' economie mondiale qu' une de la grippe. Car c' est en periode de crise que le professionalisme des acteurs touristiques et le marketing feront toute la difference. Et face a la Thailande et la Chine, le VN ne fait toujours pas le poids.
Et malheureusement pour M Anh, les vietnamiens ont la bougeotte et preferent voyager en dehors de leur pays, qui leur revient a peine un peu plus cher que le voyager dans le pays.