Number of tourists to Cat Ba decreased sharply during the holidays

Sunday, April 30, 2023 19:00 (GMT+7)
19:00 4/30/2023

According to many accommodation owners in Cat Ba, the room occupancy rate is only about 40% compared to the same period last year. Many guests cancel their rooms at the last minute due to concerns about crowding.

Cat Ba beach is not overloaded during the April 30 holiday. Photo: Park .

Mr. Cong Vien (21 years old, Hanoi ), and his family traveled to Cat Ba (Hai Phong) on the morning of April 30. This tourist said that compared to previous years, traffic via Got ferry to Cat Ba was smooth, with no traffic jams.

"I see that the number of visitors to Cat Ba beach this year is not as bustling as every year," said Mr. Vien.

Room occupancy rate drops sharply

A representative of the Paradise Hotel said the number of guests decreased by 40% during the holiday this year. In previous years, the hotel mainly welcomed group guests, but this year the number of individual guests accounted for 70%. Guests usually stayed for 1-2 nights, concentrated on April 29 and May 1.

Sharing the same opinion, a representative of Thanh Cong Hotel Cat Ba said that the number of guests booking rooms at the hotel during the holiday this year has decreased sharply. "This year, Cat Ba has a weak number of guests, it has decreased too much. Normally, the first day of the holiday is crowded with guests. There has never been a time on April 30th where there were as few guests as this year," said a representative of this accommodation location.

The hotel representative said that the weather had a partial effect, and that it only changed near the holidays. The main reason was the epidemic situation, which caused many guests to cancel their reservations at the last minute.

"Many guests booked rooms more than a month in advance, but canceled close to the departure date. Tourists are reluctant to visit crowded tourist destinations at this time," said a representative of this hotel.

During the holidays, hotels in Cat Ba charge an additional fee to serve additional breakfast buffets to customers. According to a survey, the price of 3-5 star hotel rooms in Cat Ba during the holidays ranges from 800,000 to 2 million VND/night.

Expected to welcome 30,000 guests

According to Mr. Pham Tri Tuyen, Head of the Department of Culture, Information, Propaganda and Tourism of Cat Hai district, the locality is expected to welcome more than 30,000 guests during the April 30 - May 1 holiday.

However, as the holiday approached, many agencies and businesses canceled their tours. On the first day of the holiday, the number of visitors to Cat Ba for sightseeing and relaxation decreased by about 40% compared to 2022. "They are worried that after traveling, the epidemic will break out, affecting the staff," said Mr. Tuyen.

At the same time, the weather affected by the first storm of the season also caused many visitors to turn back and cancel their trips to Cat Ba. Currently, the number of visitors to Cat Ba cannot be accurately calculated, in addition to the number of guests staying, there are also the number of visitors using the service during the day.

Compared to last year, the number of visitors staying in Cat Ba decreased by 40% during the April 30 holiday. Photo: Park.

In order to prepare to welcome and serve tourists during the holiday, since the beginning of the year, Cat Hai district has focused on directing agencies, units and localities to strengthen inspection and closely monitor activities of welcoming and serving tourists in the area and deploy measures to limit congestion and overload.

The district also rectifies urban order, ensures fire safety, food safety and hygiene, and environmental sanitation at tourist attractions and tourist service establishments in the area. Local authorities require 100% of accommodation establishments, restaurants, sightseeing boats, and overnight boats to post prices and sell at the listed prices of the year. At the same time, they strengthen inspections of safety assurance, rescue, and entertainment services at beaches, routes, and tourist attractions in the area.

Regarding disease prevention measures, organizations and businesses recommend that tourists raise awareness of complying with the 2K regulations (masks - disinfection) when participating in activities with large crowds.

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