Tourism sector in northern region speeds up post-typhoon recovery

People clean up trash on the beach of Ha Long city in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: hanoimoi.vn)

Hanoi - Typhoon Yagi has caused severe damage in many provinces and cities in the northern region, including major tourist centres such as Hanoi, Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, and Sa Pa (Lao Cai). In an effort to overcome the damage, many localities have organised activities to welcome tourists back.

In Quang Ninh province which was directly hit by the typhoon on September 7, from September 13, the Management Board of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, has welcomed visitors at places that meet safety standards.

The Ha Long and Tuan Chau International Passenger Ports have resumed operations and have welcomed thousands of visitors.

In the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, many areas experienced severe landslides, which caused damage to several roads and spillways. Despite this, Sa Pa resort township has quickly restored infrastructure and improved tourist sites and accommodation establishments. On September 13, the town People's Committee decided to reopen tourist attractions and required all tourist areas to ensure absolute safety for visitors. The Sun World Fansipan Legend tourist area has welcomed hundreds of visitors to explore the May hamlet and Fansipan flagpole. Additionally, other destinations in Sa Pa have gradually reopened since September 14.

Hai Phong city also started selling tickets for overnight stays on boats on Cat Ba Archipelago on September 12. Accommodation establishments that were less affected by the storm are now able to welcome tourists, while those heavily impacted are undergoing repairs and renovations to resume operations soon.

In Hanoi capital city, efforts to recover from the impacts of the storm and heavy rains have been carried out swiftly, with many tourist sites returning to normal operations.

Historical sites such as Hoa Lo Prison and the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam have seen increases in visitor numbers. From September 19 to 22, the Hanoi Autumn Festival is being held from September 19-22, after being postponed for a week due to the typhoon. This event is one of the key tourism promotion activities in the city to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the capital’s Liberation Day (October 10, 1954 - 2024).

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ha Van Sieu urged travel businesses to proactively develop response plans for unusual events such as epidemics and natural disasters.

Given the severe impact of the recent typhoon, businesses need to stay updated to create suitable products and connect tours effectively, while also promoting safe and quality destinations to visitors, he added./.