Tourism seeks to recover from natural disasters

In less than a month, the Northern and North Central provinces have been continuously affected by two storms, No. 10 (Bualoi) and No. 11 (Matmo), causing severe damage in many localities in some Northern provinces. This has significantly affected tourism activities and the goal of welcoming visitors this year. In this situation, the affected localities have both overcome the consequences and prepared to welcome tourists back.

Thanh Tuyen Festival 2025.

Severe impact

The recent series of natural disasters has caused severe damage, multi-dimensional and serious impacts on tourism activities of localities, especially the northern mountainous provinces in the context of the peak season. Landslides and flash floods damaged and cut off many routes and roads leading to remote tourist destinations, paralyzing the accessibility of tourists. Some motels, homestays, and resorts were flooded and damaged, requiring time and large costs to repair and overcome. Flash floods and landslides distorted and destroyed part of the natural landscape which is the main attraction of mountain tourism (such as terraced fields, waterfalls, forests...).

Sharing about the impacts that the tourism industry in Tuyen Quang province has suffered, Mr. Lai Quoc Tinh - Chairman of the Tuyen Quang Tourism Association said that the impact of natural disasters on tourism in the province is very severe. The historic flood caused the entire old Ha Giang city to be submerged. Currently, there are no exact statistics, but the number of tourists in October decreased by 30-40% compared to last year.

Among the northern provinces affected by the recent natural disasters, Thai Nguyen province is one of the localities most severely affected, directly affecting people's lives and socio -economic activities of the province.

Vice President of Thai Nguyen Tourism Association Tran Nu Ngoc Anh said that the two storms No. 10 and 11 caused heavy rain and widespread flooding, seriously affecting infrastructure and tourism business activities in the province. Many accommodation establishments, restaurants, and tourist attractions had flooded basements, damaged technical equipment, and had to temporarily stop receiving guests for repairs. Tourist traffic routes were also disrupted, forcing many groups to cancel or postpone their tours. In addition to material damage, the disruption of service activities has directly affected revenue and destination image. This is a big challenge for the entire industry, especially during the peak period at the end of the year.

Assessing the impact of natural disasters on tourism activities, Mr. Pham Hai Quynh - Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, said that storms and post-storm circulation have severely affected people's livelihoods and assets and disrupted community tourism activities. According to Mr. Quynh, despite the damage, mountainous localities are still able to recover quickly thanks to their unique landscapes and indigenous cultures. However, mountainous tourism depends heavily on transportation; overcoming landslides and rebuilding roads requires time and large funds. He said that for effective recovery, there needs to be synchronous coordination between the government, businesses and the community.

Ready to welcome guests back

This year, the storm appeared at the time when the northern mountainous provinces were preparing to enter autumn - the most beautiful season of the year. The natural disaster caused many plans to be postponed, causing significant damage to the local tourism industry. On the tourist side, there is still a sense of apprehension, as the consequences of the storm have not yet been overcome.

However, this is also the time for localities to review safety procedures, develop disaster response scenarios, and develop adaptive tourism products - both to protect tourists and to maintain the image of a safe and friendly destination.

Regarding this, Ms. Tran Nu Ngoc Anh said that immediately after the storm, the Thai Nguyen Tourism Association quickly coordinated with the government, member businesses and the Vietnam Tourism Association, along with tourism associations of other provinces to mobilize emergency support resources. Along with the relief work, the Thai Nguyen tourism industry focused on repairing infrastructure, environmental sanitation, checking electricity and water safety, ensuring conditions for early reopening. At the same time, it implemented domestic tourism stimulus programs, enhanced communication of safe and friendly destinations, offered preferential service prices, and linked with travel agencies to attract visitors back.

As for Tuyen Quang, Mr. Lai Quoc Tinh said that the locality is planning to have famtrip groups travel back and forth at the end of this month. "We have started to promote the current media images that Tuyen Quang has started to become safe again so that everyone can come to visit, explore and experience the northernmost border region of our country," Mr. Tinh said.

Restoring tourist confidence after natural disasters
Mr. Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, said that to restore confidence after natural disasters, it is necessary to implement a comprehensive strategy with three focuses: Safety - Recovery - Communication. Localities must review and assess the safety level of destinations, only reopen when conditions are met; publicize traffic conditions and install early warnings in dangerous areas. Travel businesses need to provide clear travel insurance to reassure tourists. At the same time, if tourists want to return, they must do the right thing, speak the truth and communicate clearly.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/du-lich-tim-cach-phuc-hoi-sau-thien-tai-20251021142803648.htm