Canadian foreign minister

Foreign tourists mainly were technical experts and skilled workers who are allowed to enter Vietnam to work, and truck drivers transporting goods through international border gates. In the first two months, the country welcomed 28,700 foreign visitors, a year-on-year decrease of 99.1 percent. According to the report, HCMC saw a decline of 14.1 percent, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province and Da Nang City decreased 15.9 and 16.1 percent, Hanoi and Hai Duong slid 7.6 and 7.8 percent compared with last year. Tourism revenue fell 62.1 percent over the same period last year to VND2,500 billion (US$108.6 million). The most severe drops were seen in Hanoi at 47.7 percent, Da Nang by 67.7 percent, HCMC by 69.2 percent, Thua Thien-Hue Province by 73.3 percent and Hai Duong Province by 89.4. The tourism industry has proposed many preferential policies to support travel firms and laborers that have been severely affected by the Covid-19. However, there was not much support and many businesses could not receive these preferential treatments. A further decline is expected in the coming months, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). At the present, more than 500 enterprises that can not continue their operations have proposed for the withdrawal of the certificate of business registration. In addition, 90-95 percent of travel agencies have stopped operating as a result of the crisis. The tourism sector must spend 5-7 years to recover the workforce. A large number of laborers in the hospitality industry have to move for a new job. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung said that the tourism industry needs to develop key solutions and long-term plan until the next five years, such as putting the Support Fund into operation, restructuring the tourism industry, building tourist products and smart ecotourism system, implementing digital transformation in boosting Vietnamese tourism. He asked the VNAT to coordinate with Ninh Binh …

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Vietnam logs no new COVID-19 infections on March 1 morning Vietnam documented zero COVID-19 infections in the past 12 hours as of 6:00 am on March 1, leaving the national tally unchanged at 2,448 patients, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control. Earlier, Vietnam reported 16 COVID-19 cases at 6pm on February 28, including 12 locally infected cases in the northern province of Hai Duong, the country's largest COVID-19 hotspot, and four imported cases in the southern provinces of Tay Ninh and Dong Thap. Of the total infections, there were 1,542 domestically-transmitted cases, including 849 recorded since the latest outbreak hit the northern province of Hai Duong on January 27. Ten cities and provinces nationwide have gone through 16 consecutive days without any locally-infected cases of COVID-19, including Hoa Binh, Dien Bien, Ha Giang, Binh Duong, Hung Yen, Bac Giang, Gia Lai, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, and Ho Chi Minh City. Meanwhile, Hanoi has recorded 14 straight days of no coronavirus cases. A total 60,693 people who came in close contact with COVID-19 patients or arrived from pandemic-hit areas are under quarantine nationwide, including 560 at hospitals, 12,298 at other quarantine sites, and 47,835 at home. Among patients under treatment, 62 have tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 once, 53 twice, and 95 thrice. Report from the Treatment Sub-committee showed that Vietnam has seen 1,876 recoveries so far. In a bid to live safely with the pandemic, people should strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s 5K message: khau trang (facemask), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distance), khong tu tap (no gathering), and khai bao y te (health declaration)./. Hai Duong dissolves COVID-19 treatment hospital No.1 Chairman of the Hai Duong provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duong Thai, who is also head of the provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, on February 27 decided to …

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The Hanoitimes - Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue suggested Hanoi should mobilize hotels for mass isolation of suspected Covid-19 patients. The Hanoi city government should fast-track its proposal to turn some hotels into quarantine establishments to meet real demand as the overseas Vietnamese and foreigners continue coming to the city, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue has stated. Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue (Photo: VGP) According to Hue, while many people are willing to pay room charges for spending the mandatory quarantine at a hotel, relevant authorities have not discussed with accommodation establishments on paid isolation. “The city authorities need to submit the idea of paid isolation in hotels to the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control,” Hue said at a meeting with the Hanoi Party Committee of Businesses on March 24, recognizing that many hotels are at risk of bankruptcy due to a lack of guests. Delegates at the meeting reported many industries are bearing the brunt of the pandemic, especially tourism and transportation. According to Hanoi Tourism Corporation, most hotels in Hanoi are reporting a occupancy rate of only 10-15%. Hoa Binh Hotel in Hoan Kiem district has accommodated 20 foreign senior experts for quarantining after receiving request from the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control. Some tourism accommodations have registered to host people under paid quarantine, including one in Hoan Kiem District with 50 rooms and another in Ba Dinh District with 200 rooms. Currently, the initiative is under consideration. A military establishment turned into a quarantine center. Photo: Lao Dong newspaper At a meeting of the National Standing Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on the same day, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved a proposal of mobilizing …

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