Hanoi hotels see modest post-pandemic foreign tourist numbers

Hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter have witnessed a modest number of foreign tourists a year after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter have witnessed a modest number of foreign tourists a year after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hanoi’s tourism sector has been reopened to serve foreign visitors from March 15 last year. However, to date, many local hotels, including those in Hanoi Old Quarter, have only attracted a small number of customers.

 

Hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter have witnessed a modest number of foreign tourists a year after the Covid-19 pandemic (Photo by Thu Giang)

Ma May Street is home to around 20 hotels, but most of them have failed to lure tourists. A hotel owner said that he had to reduce the staff due to the lack of guests.

Lots of hotels in Hanoi have offered discounts of 20-50 percent to attract customers. Meanwhile, some hotels have not even bothered to reopen yet.

According to many hotel owners, Vietnam's 30-day visas are among the factors keeping foreign travellers away.

Not only hotels but also food services are struggling with the business slump.

In the first two months of this year, Vietnam welcomed 1.8 million foreign visitors, up 36.6 percent on-year, but down 40 percent on 2019 when the country was not affected by Covid-19.