In early November, O Moi Ferry Wharf in the southern province of An Giang was buzzing with a large influx of visitors. However, the atmosphere is very different since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Vietnam.
Phong Levent Homestay.
A homestay owner in Ong Ho Island said that her area used to attract many travellers who came to experience local people’s lives, but because of the pandemic, the number of visitors has sharply decreased.
Around 25 kilometres from My Hoa Hung area, the homestay service in Tan My, My Hiep and Binh Phuoc communes of Cho Moi District have been in the same situation.
Trinh Quoc Phong, owner of Phong Levent homestay service, in Dong Thap Province’s Sa Dec City, said that visitors to his facility have dropped by 80% against the time before Covid-19.
Ut Trinh homestay in Vinh Long Province which has been recognised as meeting ASEAN homestay standards in the 2017-2019 period has attracted almost no customers. Pham Thi Ngoc Trinh, the facility landlord, said that her chain, which specialises in serving foreigners, has a total 55 of rooms in Vinh Long and Ben Tre. Since the Covid-19 resurgence in July, service revenues have been nearly zero, while it has still had to shoulder costs.
According to Le Dinh Minh Thy, director of Viettravel branches in the Can Tho and southwest region, the company is launching domestic tourism products, focusing on the Mekong Delta region.
Nguyen Khanh Hiep, director of An Giang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the department is wanting local authorities to support travel firms, including homestay operators. Homestay facilities in An Giang are mostly located in My Hoa Hung, Tan My, My Hiep and Binh Phuoc Xuan communes.