Figures released by the General Statistics Office show that international visitors to Vietnam in March decreased by 68% compared to the same period last year, bringing the total number of visitors in the first quarter to 3.7 million, down more than 18% compared to the same period last year. same period. The second-quarter results are expected to be even worse when the whole tourism industry is almost paralyzed due to social isolation to prevent epidemics.

Up to now, it is still not possible to determine when Vietnam's tourism industry will recover. One thing is certain, however: tourism will change skin. "The implications of the epidemic on psychology and economy will create some new trends in planning, selecting and organizing travelers," market research firm Outbox pointed out in the newspaper. Report Restoration of tourism destinations in Vietnam.

The first priority of post-pandemic customers is safety. Photo: Getty Images.

Safety first. Accordingly, the top priority of post-pandemic clients has changed. Psychological fear of infection will still cling, so the factor of safety as well as information on medical qualifications and ability to support the health of the destination will be one of the important factors to help travelers decide. destination.

Safety is the advantage of Vietnam tourism after Covid-19. Since the first epidemic was announced in Wuhan, China in December, 1919, it has infected nearly 3 million people and more than 200,000 people have died worldwide.

Vietnam has recorded 270 infections so far and no human damage has been recorded. The effectiveness of prevention and treatment is proved to tourists about the safety of Vietnam. "This is also an important basis for the domestic tourism industry to be optimistic that tourism will soon return to Vietnam," said Outbox.

Prefer nearby destinations and short trips. This trend is a consequence of three difficulties that exist in the current tourism industry: the aviation industry is crippled, the psychology of fear of diseases and the financial difficulties of tourists. Short trips near the house are what customers need to temporarily relieve the feeling of "crazy legs" after social distance. They help ensure health safety factors, save money, minimize risks and be more proactive in unexpected situations.

This means domestic visitors will be the first force to recover from the epidemic. In terms of the proportion structure, domestic tourists accounted for about 82.5% of the total number of tourists in 2019. So the tendency to choose nearby destinations will be a beneficial factor for the recovery process of Vietnam's tourism. .

Price sensitivity

In 2019, Vietnam tourism attracts 18 million international visitors. Photo: Forbes.com.

When the disease devastated the economy, the livelihoods of millions of people were also seriously affected. In mid-April, the World Monetary Organization (IMF) reduced its forecast for Vietnam's GDP growth this year to 2.7% from the 7% set in January 2020.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) also warns more than 22 million Vietnamese workers who are working in areas facing major challenges to maintain the workforce during and after the epidemic. This is also the general situation of the world, when the global economic growth rate is forecast to be -3% for 2020, according to the IMF; and 195 million full-time jobs will disappear in the second quarter of 2020, according to the ILO.

This bleak outlook will make global residents more likely to tighten their pockets and spend more. "This will affect the tourism industry and the ability of people to prioritize spending on tourism," Outbox said, adding that visitors will tend to choose destinations with products. package with preferential prices to both relieve psychology after epidemic but still ensure cost savings.

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