Domestic tourism market picks up, destinations overcrowded

Following months of stagnation due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the domestic tourism market is booming as tourist destinations and airports are becoming overloaded with holidaymakers.

Long queues of people  are waiting to get a cable car to Cau Vang (Golden Bridge) in Da Nang (Photo:zingnews.vn)

This situation can largely be attributed to the start of the summer vacation being enjoyed by students across the country, stimulus tour packages being launched by travel firms, along with the travel ban placed on international travelers due to the complicated nature of developments of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) globally. 

According to the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, the number of tourists visiting the south-central province during the first two weeks of July witnessed a five-fold increase compared to June.

With the reopening of domestic air routes, Cam Ranh International Airport received between 90 and 100 flights each day, with the daily number of domestic passengers reaching 8,000 passengers, equivalent to 80% in comparison with the period before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Due to the sheer scale of domestic travel, severe congestion has hit several tourist sites throughout the northern province of Quang Ninh. Travelers had to spend much time  in queues purchasing tickets to visit Ha Long bay, a UNESCO recognised World Natural Heritage Site.

According to a statement by local authorities, Ha Long city has welcomed an average of 100,000 visitors daily, including up to 9,000 visiting the provincial museum – a tourist destination in the locality.

Meanwhile, the mountain district of Tam Dao in northern Vinh Phuc province, which houses the Tam Dao tourist resort, has endured periods of traffic gridlock, with large numbers of cars lining up from the foot of the mountain to the top.

Elsewhere, the number of tourists visiting the northern province of Lao Cai has also witnessed a sharp increase by 80% compared to the beginning of the year, according to statistics released by the provincial Department of Tourism.

Lao Cai welcomed over 80,000 visitors between July 13 and July 19 alone. The Fansipan cable car station received over 10,000 passengers during peak days, while the Sa Pa tourist resort also welcomed more than 48,000 visitors during the reviewed period.

Check-in counters at Noi Bai international airport are packed with people (Photo: tienphong.vn)

According to the Management Board of Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang tourism beaches, the number of visitors flocking to local beaches during the week has regularly exceeded 10,000, and the figure increased during weekends in Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son districts.

Furthermore, Cau Vang, also known as Golden Bridge, in Da Nang city has been overwhelmed by masses of visitors in recent weeks, with several travelers complaining that they have struggled to find a suitable place in which to snap photos.

In line with this surge in travel, Da Nang International Airport has been receiving 80 domestic flights each day compared to 70 last year. The number of tourists travelling by car has also witnessed an increase, with visitors largely coming from central and northern provinces.

In Kien Giang province, sites on Phu Quoc island have also been packed with local holidaymakers in recent weeks. According to a representative of Phu Quoc International Airport, the number of passengers travelling to the airport has skyrocketed, with up to 22,000 arrivals on July 17 alone, double the figure from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, airports nationwide such as Noi Bai International Airport have been overwhelmed due to the number of domestic tourists increasing by more than 30% compared to the same period last year.

Long queues of passengers at check-in counters have negatively affected the boarding time and the flight schedule of local airlines.

To promote the image of local tourism during the peak season, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has issued a document requesting that local tourism management agencies tighten controls over tourism services and duly punish travel firms that provide poor-quality services.

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