The Quynh Mai homestay operated by Dam Quynh Mai of Ba Be district, Bac Kan province, has seen a 70% reduction of bookings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The few visitors to her homestay were mainly local tourists. As soon as travel restrictions were lifted, Mai got her homestay ready to welcome visitors again.
Mai said, “We bought more food, cleaned the roads and rooms, and maintained the room furniture. New bookings have arrived in recent days, and we’ve responded to surveys of tourism services conducted by travel companies in other localities after a long hiatus.”
 Ba Ba lake (Photo: VOV) |
It’s the most beautiful time of the year at Ba Be lake. Honey-colored sunshine sparkles on the emerald green water. This time of year, visitors can explore Ba Be at its best, admiring the yellow rice fields around the lake, kayaking, trekking into the primeval forests, chasing clouds in the early morning on Don Den peak, fishing with locals in dug-out boats, and listening to “then” traditional songs around a campfire at night. New rice and grilled lake fish are the local specialties.
Hoang Ngoc Tham, Director of the Ba Be Tourism Management Board, said, “Ba Be tourism is ready to bounce back. We’ve upgraded the tourist site and local people are cleaning up their facilities. Visitors follow different safety protocols, depending on the pandemic level where they come from. Those coming from green zones, which are deemed low-risk, are required only to scan their QR code before touring Ba Be.”
Legacy Yen Tu – Mgallery, a 5-star accommodation in Uong Bi city, was chosen as one of two places in Quang Ninh province to welcome inter-province tourists. It offers a COVID-secure Buddhist cultural space at the foot of Yen Tu mountain. All tourists are required to follow Vietnam’s COVID recommendations. The resort itself has set up closed-loop services and has designated different areas to handle several groups of guests at the same time.
Le Trong Thanh, Deputy General Director of of the Tung Lam Development JSC, told VOV, “Visitors from inside and outside Quang Ninh province will have separate service zones. We split electric cars within the resort and cable cars to the mountain peak to serve these two categories of visitors.”
 Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province welcomes local tourists. |
The Quang Ninh provincial Department of Tourism has introduced safety criteria for accommodations, travel companies, tourist sites, and other service providers.
Pham Ngoc Thuy, the Department’s director, said, “Tourism companies take responsibility for keeping people safe when they resume operation. Each of them has been asked to devise detailed scenarios and get them approved by local authorities. Making themselves COVID safe is first and foremost.”