The capital city of Hanoi welcomed more than 1.3 million tourists in February, including roughly 362,000 foreigners, announced the municipal Department of Tourism on February 24.
Face masks distributed to visitors at the entrance of Hanoi’s Temple of Literature (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)
The city saw a remarkable decrease of 45.5% year-on-year in the number of holiday-makers due to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which broke out in Wuhan, China, late last year.
The city’s tourism revenue from the first month of this year reached VND5.58 trillion (US$241 million), down 32% against the same period last year.
To mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on the hospitality sector, the city’s Department of Tourism has asked travel agents, hotel managers and tourist transportation firms to attach special attention to ensuring safety of tourists and keep track of the health and itineraries of visitors so prompt reports can be made for any suspected cases of the virus.
The city’s tourist sites have been enhancing sanitation and providing free masks and hand sanitiser at entrances for both visitors and passers-by. Staff at tourist attractions have been equipped with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and support tourists against COVID-19.