Mr. Tuan, a tourist from Hanoi, planned to visit Ha Giang in October because the weather is usually nice at that time of year. However, information about landslides after typhoon number 3 has made tourists reconsider and choose a safer destination.
Following Typhoon No. 3, tourism businesses in Ha Giang have been experiencing a slump due to a significant drop in Vietnamese tourists. There are virtually no large tour groups, and most visitors are independent travelers from abroad. Ms. Huyen Anh, the owner of a hotel in Meo Vac, said she has never seen such a lack of customers as this year, despite the current beautiful weather.
"After September 2nd, sometimes for almost a week, my hotel had no guests," said Ms. Huyen Anh, adding that this is a difficult period for tourism businesses in Ha Giang. Guests have mostly canceled reservations until October 14th, and there are very few new bookings in October as well.
BiBi Ha Giang Tour, a company specializing in motorbike tours in Ha Giang, said that the number of foreign bookings in October increased by 30% compared to September because it was the beginning of the beautiful season. However, there were almost no Vietnamese tourists, and many even canceled their bookings until November.
According to representatives of the Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark management board, Vietnamese tourists are avoiding mountainous tourist destinations like Ha Giang due to concerns about landslides. During Typhoon No. 3, the damage to people and property in Ha Giang was insignificant. However, in July, Ha Giang experienced landslides in Bac Me, and at the end of September, in Bac Quang, causing fear among tourists. Geopark representatives believe that time is needed for Vietnamese tourists to adjust to these conditions.
Mustgo, an online booking platform with over 2,000 hotel partners nationwide, recorded a significant drop in bookings in Ha Giang and Sa Pa in October, despite being in the peak season. Weekend occupancy rates in these two locations reached approximately 20-30%, a 40-50% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Following Typhoon No. 3, approximately 90% of Inter Bus Lines' passengers on the Hanoi -Sa Pa route were foreigners. A representative from the bus company stated that some foreign tourists switched from Ha Giang to Sa Pa due to landslide concerns, while Vietnamese tourists remained hesitant. In October, there were signs of a return of Vietnamese tourists, but not as many as in previous years, mainly consisting of young people in groups of friends.
Best Price Travel Company also noted a 30% decrease in tourist interest in tours to the northern mountainous region compared to the same period last year. Previously, during the time Typhoon No. 3 hit, the company postponed or canceled services for 80 customers to the Northeast and Northwest regions, with 40% requesting refunds and the rest rescheduling to October.
Danh Nam Travel stated that the East-West Northwest alliance, in which the company participates, suffered losses due to the cancellation of numerous tours after Typhoon Yagi, primarily due to customer fear. Currently, Director Nguyen Ngoc Tung of Danh Nam Travel assesses the situation as more favorable, with the service supply chain in the East-West Northwest regions largely restored. However, transportation in some areas is affected by landslides, creating significant challenges for companies wishing to operate on this route.
"Even during the most beautiful season of the year, we still have to constantly update the situation to balance advertising and tour sales," Mr. Tung said, predicting it will take about two months for tourism in the northern mountainous region to fully recover and for tourists to feel safe traveling.
According to many tourism service providers in Ha Giang and Sa Pa, local authorities should conduct more promotional activities, stimulate demand, and widely publicize safe routes to attract Vietnamese tourists back.
Meanwhile, the two provinces most severely affected by Typhoon No. 3, Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, have mostly recovered and are ready to welcome tourists back since October. However, due to the colder weather and heavy rain, occupancy rates in both locations fluctuate between 15-20%, according to Mustgo's report. Hotels are also operating at only about 50% capacity due to low demand, and 10% of rooms still require repairs due to typhoon damage.
Ms. Luu Thi Thu, Deputy Director of Hoang Viet Travel, commented that the problems caused by Typhoon No. 3 to tourism in the North have been basically resolved after a month. However, customer concerns about safety and unsatisfactory experiences have prevented the company from aggressively promoting tours. Hoang Viet Travel plans to resume tours in the North only from the end of November or the beginning of December, after typhoons and low-pressure systems in the East Sea are no longer active, and rainfall decreases as the dry season approaches.
TH (according to VnExpress)Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/khach-viet-van-e-de-tour-mien-nui-phia-bac-395028.html
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