HCMCity (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Tourism has mapped outtwo scenarios to kick-start the tourism market post-COVID-19.

Inthe first scenario, the pandemic will be controlled in September and thedepartment will resume its domestic travel stimulus programme featuring cooperationbetween hotels and resorts, travel operators and transport service providers tooffer high-quality products at low prices.

Thecity will foster travel linkage agreements with the Mekong Delta andsouth-eastern regions. It will also expand linkages with other regionsin the country.

Informationabout COVID-19 safety measures would be promoted to ensure that businessescomply with safety standards to protect staff, guests and the community, saidDeputy Director of the Tourism Department Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa.

Theother scenario is that the pandemic goes on until year-end, meaning the tourismmarket remains in a slump and the promotion and marketing activities will focuson restructuring and workforce retraining.

“Thedepartment will help businesses restructure their operations and develop newproducts to prepare for the recovery,” Hoa said.

Atleast 90 percent of travel agencies have halted operations, according to areport released by the department.

Fewerthan 10 percent maintain operations to take care of tour cancellations anddebts to customers.

Hotelsare suffering from mass cancellation of business events and weddingcelebrations and occupancy rates of less than 10 percent, according to thereport.

Tourism enterprisesface severe financial distress, but the Government’s relief package of 62trillion VND (2.67 billion USD) for people and businesses directly affected bythe pandemic has hardly benefited anyone, Hoa said.

“Itis very difficult for individuals and businesses to access the relief package.”

Todate seven businesses have managed to get the interest rates on their bankloans reduced following meetings between the department and the State Bank of Vietnam./.