(HBO) – To strongly revitalise tourism in the new normal context, Mai Chau district of Hoa Binh province has been easing restrictions but not lowering its guard while taking flexible moves to keep the COVID-19 pandemic under control.
Lac hamlet in Chieng Chau commune
(Mai Chau district) is reopening to domestic and foreign visitors after
COVID-19 is brought under control.
The COVID-19 resurgence from mid-February forced
the community-based tourism area of Lac village in Chieng Chau commune into
almost lockdown for two weeks.
Hamlet chief Ha Cong Hong said as the pandemic
has been contained in a timely manner, local households can prepare
infrastructure and personnel for welcoming tourists back now that Vietnam has
fully reopened to international travellers. Recently, some groups of foreign
tourists have come to spend their holidays here. The hamlet has also paid more
attention to COVID-19 control, especially disinfection and minimisation of
contact among groups of visitors.
At present, all the tourism areas in Mai Chau
district such as Hang Kia, Pa Co, Pom Coong, and Van hamlets of Mai Chau
township; Buoc hamlet of Xam Khoe commune; Hich 2 hamlet of Mai Hich commune;
and such resort complexes as Mai Chau Ecolodge, Mai Chau Hideaway, Ba Khan
Village Resort, and Avana Retreat are working to resume their operation. Many
of them have already welcomed international visitors.
Pham Van Hoan, Vice Chairman of the Mai Chau
People’s Committee, said as an important sector of the district, tourism is
bouncing back in the new normal context. In 2022, the district looks to attract
490,000 visitors, including 20,000 international arrivals, and earn 560 billion
VND in tourism revenue.
In the first phase of the tourism recovery road
map, tourist receiving and serving activities will be carried out with measures
taken to ensure safety from COVID-19 according to pandemic levels. In the next
phase, Mai Chau plans to restore all the tourism activities and products,
without any restrictions, with safe adaptation to the pandemic and focus put on
the key markets.
Flexible measures are being taken by local
tourist attractions to adapt to and control the COVID-19. Managers of the sites
perceive that tourism is reopened but pandemic safety still need to be
guaranteed. They are also offering new products and services that are adapted
to the new situation, according to Hoan.
In the first quarter of 2022, Mai Chau district
welcomed 87,770 tourist arrivals, including 86,331 domestic visitors. It earned
over 100 billion VND from this industry.
