Hue resumed welcoming the group of tour visitors
Positive signal
Recently, a group of foreign visitors has come to visit Đại Nội (Royal Palace). It has been a long time since there was a group of international tour visitors accompanied by a guide on the street. This group of visitors’ appearance also amazed and excited the members on the shift in Đại Nội that day.
Talking to the female tour guide of the group, I knew that this group belongs to a Hanoi-based NGO. They came to Vietnam for a period of time. When the regulations on domestic pandemic prevention and control were changed, they desired to come to Hue to learn about the culture and heritage for their work.
“After almost a year, now I can resume serving tourists; it's an indescribable joy. Hopefully, everything is OK, and we – the guides – will resume being busy with the familiar guide job,” said the female guide.
Also early in December, Huetourist Travel Company also welcomed and served a group of tour visitors (4 people) from Hanoi. In Hue, the group went to visit the heritage, combined with visiting Chuon Lagoon and experiencing the cuisine here. Subsequent to the visit to Hue, the group visited and experienced some tourist services in Quang Nam.
Mr. Tran Quang Hao, Director of Huetourist Travel Company, said that the group did not have many members but was counted as tour visitors. This is a milestone for the company because it has been almost a year since it organized a methodical tour with schedule, plan, quotation, and a guide to accompany visitors.... Although the tour was not as lively and comfortable as before the pandemic, the visitors were very satisfied.
Just a few days before, Mr. Tran Huu Cuu, Chairman of the Provincial Association of Guides, said that he had just led a group of visitors from Tien Giang to Hue to work in combination with ordering tours. Gia Long Mausoleum and the culinary experience were a one-day tour that this group of visitors went on.
According to Mr. Cuu, with the new adaptation, perhaps in a short time, tourism will be vibrant again. The tour guides also returns to work.
According to the Provincial Travel Association, the pandemic has brought about many changes in the way visitors travel. Last time, visitors traveled mainly individually, on their own, not through travel agencies. That tour companies resume exploiting visitors shows the tourists’ confidence in tour organization. That is not only a positive signal but also a motivation for travel companies to boldly stimulate tourism demand, which is assessed as more difficult than stay in the recovery stage.
For safety, all visitors to heritage will scan the QR codes
For visitors to feel safe
According to Mr. Tran Quang Hao, the group of tour visitors, whom the company has just served, decided to do a tour because through the exchange of information and processes, they realized the safety and self-containment when the tour was organized. On the contrary, this group of visitors had 2 vaccinations and came from a green zone, so the organizing company and guides felt secure to serve visitors.
Even so, the service process also complied with the current regulations, ensuring 5K requirements, so the tour took place successfully. This is also the vital experience for the company to continue serving visitors in the coming time.
Mr. Tran Thanh Tu, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Travel Association, said that in order to proactively attract tourists, the businesses also offer new product packages organized under a separate program at some sites, avoiding crowded spots. That tour visitors may be limited in time, but will use the same services from dining, sightseeing and resting during the tour, so the safety factor is greater. Concurrently, the businesses need to follow the new guidelines and regulations by the authorities to attract visitors more effectively.
“The big problem is that psychology is still influencing the tourist's decision to travel. We have evaluated this and proposed some solutions. The first is to confirm the safety factor when visitors join in the tour; The second and equally important is the promotional product packages, with preferential prices to stimulate travel again," analyzed Mr. Tu.
According to Mr. Truong Thanh Minh, Director of the Provincial Tourism Promotion and Information Center, it is vital now is to create separate flows of visitors. The organization in flows ensures safety; this helps businesses connect with provincial tourism associations and clubs to ensure a more stable number of visitors. By contrast, Hue businesses should also declare commitments in terms of service provision, cost and joining hands to address problems that arise.
Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Director of the Department of Tourism, said that, in development, the destination and sources of visitors are equally important. Tourists who go on tours organized by travel agencies in particular ensures a forecast source of visitors to the destination and makes the formulation of development policy and strategy more feasible.
Organizing the group of tour visitors also creates a better supply chain in transportation, accommodation, shopping, dining, tour guides, etc. Therefore, the recovery of tour visitors is of great significance to the destination, especially in the current adaptation stage.
Story and photos: Duc Quang