Following Typhoon Yagi, many northern mountainous localities, including Lao Cai and Ha Giang, have faced severe landslides. While many roads to these regions have been restored, visitors are still hesitant to come, resulting in a 70-80 percent drop in revenue for numerous local hotels and restaurants.
Kim Ly, 32, and her family from Haiphong City planned to visit Sapa in early October but postponed their trip due to the risk of landslides.
Tourist visits to Sapa Town have plummeted due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi (Photo by Toan Vu)
At 6 pm, the area around the stone church in Sapa, which was once bustling with tourists, is now filled with a desolate atmosphere.
The owner of a restaurant on Dien Bien Phu Street said that his business had only seen a handful of customers, primarily foreigners. Meanwhile, he spends VND20 million (USD813) on rent each month and must also pay the salaries for 13 staff members.
Pham Cao Vy, Vice Chairman of the Lao Cai Tourism Association, reported that nearly all tourists had cancelled their tours to Sapa between September and October.
"Room occupancy had fallen by 85 percent in September," Vy said.
The association is collaborating with the Lao Cai Department of Tourism to launch a stimulus package this month to lure visitors to Sapa. The package includes a 30-35 percent discount on cable car rides for domestic tourists. Additionally, those who booked tours to Sapa in October but postponed their trips can reschedule for November free of charge.
In Ha Giang, many hotels have also offered discounts of up to 50 percent on room rates, yet have still struggled to attract tourists.
Hoang Van Doan, Director of Gio Ha Giang Travel, stated that more than 200 customers had cancelled their bookings to Ha Giang since September 5.
The owner of a guesthouse in Meo Vac said that at this time in previous years, his establishment was busy with tourists. However, tourist numbers significantly dropped this year.
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