Hanoi (VNA) – The numberof tourists to Hanoi dropped 98.4 percent year on year to just 35,500 in April,it was reported at a meeting of the municipal People’s Committee on May 6.

Among the visitors, therewere around 8,500 international guests, down 98.6 percent, while domestic travelersnumbered 27,000, down 98.3 percent.

As aresult, the tourism sector’s revenue also fell 98.3 percent to only 143 billionVND (6.1 million USD).

Thestrong reduction in April contributed to a decrease of 59.2 percent in thenumber of tourists visiting Hanoi in the first four months of this year, to3.89 million. Of the figure, over 964,000 were international visitors, down 58.2percent year on year, and 2.92 million were domestic tourists, down 59.5 percent.

Thesector earned 15.83 trillion VND in the period, down 53.2 percent from the sameperiod last year.

Directorof the Tourism Department Tran Duc Hai said 1,200 local accommodation facilitieshad to suspend operation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the nationalholidays on April 30 and May 1, 1,364 travel agents stopped operation, affectingover 35,000 employees.

However,the department believes there is a good prospect for growth as the sectorgradually resumes operation.

“The departmenthas defined its main task of stimulating domestic tourism from now to the endof the year,” director Hai said.

Accordingto him, the sector will focus on the local strength of cultural tourism, whiledeveloping sustainable tourism products involving agriculture and tradevillages.

Traveldemand of Hanoians has started increasing again since the social distancingorder was lifted in late April, and many tourist sites in the capital city havere-opened after long closure in an effort to help contain the spread of theCOVID-19./.