Hue is “accelerating” to plan solutions for welcoming international tourists right after receiving permission (photo taken before COVID-19 outbreak)
Hue expects to welcome international tourists in December
On October 4, Tourism Department signed a trilateral memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation and investment with Smart Media City Co., Ltd (with its investor is from Korea) and Phu Bai International Airport. The memorandum aims to promote the organization of direct or transit flights from Korea to Phu Bai International Airport and vice versa in the future; call for investment from Korean partners to the province in various fields such as tourism infrastructure; tourism service; projects of manufacturing factories in the fields of electronics and cars, etc.
Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Director of Tourism Department said that besides the long-term cooperation commitments, an immediate important one at present is that the three sides will collaborate to welcome Korean investors and tourist delegations to Hue to attend an investment promotion conference, which is expected to be held in December 2021 in Laguna Lang Co (Phu Loc districts).
According to the leader of the tourism sector, this will be an event bringing an important significance to tourism of the Ancient Capital. Besides just only being a big investment promotion conference to the province, it is also an event of welcoming tourists back to the province nearly after 2 years of suffering the impact of the pandemic. This affirms that Ancient Capital’s tourism is ready and capable of and qualified to welcome international tourists with appropriate tours and services in the situation of new normal.
The flight taking the tourist delegation of Korean investors to Hue will be a direct flight. Therefore, with the cooperation of Phu Bai International Airport, the aviation industry will support legal procedures, as well as closely attach rights and responsibility so that the work of welcoming the upcoming charter delegation can be propitious and smooth.
Recently, in the framework of the meeting between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Tourism Departments of 25 provinces and cities all over the country, ministry’s leaders informed that at present, Phu Quoc Island is allowed to pilot welcoming international tourist in November.
Then, other localities with favorable geographical locations and where have closed and private resort areas will be able to welcome appropriate international tourist markets. Specifically, the localities are selected to be priorities in welcoming international tourists following Phu Quoc island are Thua Thien Hue province, Khanh Hoa province, Da Nang city, and Binh Dinh province, etc.
Building up a safe process
According to Tourism Department, the safe process is the most important issue in welcoming international tourists back. At present, the plan to welcome international tourists to Phu Quoc island is unified. Based on this pilot process, Hue can apply it and make the more flexible adjustment, and cooperation with an aim to ensure maximum safety for tourists.
Vietnam National Administration of Tourism affirmed that the initiative in the planning of each locality is a decisive factor to help each destination welcome foreign tourists back. In the situation of the new normal, where ensuring the standards of fully vaccinated human resources and having safe process of welcoming tourists, etc., will be allowed to reopen the international market.
Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang said that with the charter tourist delegation who expects to come to Hue in the coming December, Laguna Lang Co basically fully meets the safety demand for tourists, such as fully vaccinated workers, the resort is located separately and ensuring the pandemic prevention criteria, etc. However, there is a stage that needs more careful calculation. That is completing the process of picking up tourists from Korea to the airport, then taking them to Laguna Lang Co and vice versa when the tour is brought to an end.
It is known that the tourism sector is rushing to build up this process. After completing the flight plans, the way to move from the airport to the venue where the investment promotion conference takes place and vice versa, the sector will submit a request for permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to be licensed to welcome tourist delegations.
According to the representative of Laguna Lang Co, the pilot place of welcoming international tourists back to Hue, due to the weather which is not suitable for swimming activity in the upcoming December, the resort will push up their strength products instead to meet the demand of Korean tourists such as playing golf, health care.
Besides that, it will enhance the experiencing activities, introduce local cuisine, specialties, souvenirs, especially holding Hue traditional and contemporary art performances to serve guests during the time they stay here, etc.
In another development of international tourism market and demand, Mrs. Tran Thi Hoang Yen, Senior sales manager of Azerai La Residence said that although they are unable to welcome international tourists, however, hotel reservation is full until 2024.
Many partners affirmed that when Vietnam reopens to welcome international tourists back, they will take tourists to Hue. With these high demands, they believe that tourism will get better recovery after getting permission.
According to Tourism Department, after piloting the safe tourist welcoming process and gaining experiences at Laguna Lang Co, the industry will continue to build up solutions, plans, and schedules to expand the plans of welcoming international tourists to tourist destinations and resorts in the provincial area.
Story and photo: Duc Quang