- FM spokesperson affirms Vietnam’s efforts against coronavirus outbreak
- Schools nationwide close to prevent coronavirus spread
| Visitors to Ngoc Son Temple are provided with free masks. Photo: Hanoimoi |
Earlier, on February 3, the Ministry issued Dispatch No. 396 requesting the localities that have declared outbreaks of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to halt all festivals, including those underway, and close historical – cultural relic sites and tourist attractions in response to the spread of this virus.
The Vietnam Tourism Association immediately sent a note proposing functional agencies to reopen tourist attractions and cultural, historical sites.
On February 6, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien issued Dispatch No.463 asking the People’s Committees of all provinces and cities to seriously implement the ban on upcoming festivals and reduce the scale of ongoing festivals. The localities that have declared the virus infection cases must stop all festivals. But the recent dispatch also allows all localities to reopen their cultural, historical sites and tourist attractions along with implementing preventive measures against the virus for visitors.
In fact, the outbreak of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus is expected to cause significant losses to Vietnam’s tourism sector, especially due to a sharp drop in tourist arrivals from China, which account for over 30 percent of foreign arrivals in Vietnam.
At a conference held on February to discuss measures to fight against the coronavirus-caused acute respiratory disease on the tourism sector, delegates suggested urgent solutions to the situation.