Quang Binh offers large discounts to boost tourism

Phong Nha-Ke Bang Tourism Site in Quang Binh province. Fees for tourism services will be cut to attract more visitors. (Photo: toquoc.vn)

The large discount, which will be applied to tours of some famous caves in the area, aims to attract more visitors and stimulate tourism development in the province after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the provincial People's Council at a working session this week.

The meeting was held to discuss urgent issues including those related to tourism challenges for the rest of 2020 and finPhong Nha Caved solutions to help tourism enterprises overcome obstacles amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Specifically, tours that take visitors to will have entrance fees reduced from 150,000 VND (6.5 USD) to 75,000 VND (3.2 USD) per person.

The rate for entrance fees to Tien Son and Nuoc Mooc caves will be down from 80,000 VND to 40,000 VND each.

Fees for visiting Thien Duong and Me Bong Con caves are discounted from 250,000 VND to 125,000 VND, respectively.

Meanwhile, the cost for other tours will also be reduced by 50 percent including the route through Rao Thuong - En – Nuoc Lanh caves which is now at 240,000 VND and Tu Lan cave system, which is 140,000 VND for four days and three nights visiting a total of seven tourist spots.

In particular, those who want to conquer Song Doong – the largest cave in the world – will now have only to pay 4.4 million VND for the entrance fee per person.

Moreover, tourists will benefit from discounts on transportation costs, accommodation and food at restaurants during the tours, according to the provincial tourism authority.

Quang Binh province's Department of Tourism said that, since the beginning of the year, due to the effects of the pandemic, the number of tourists to the locality dropped sharply but it has begun to recover since the social distancing measures were eased and the province opened its doors to welcome visitors back.

The department said the number of visitors at weekends has started to increase.

It revealed an approximate number of 35,000 people visiting the province during the 45th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day on April 30 and May Day. The visitors mainly came from Hanoi and neighbouring provinces.

The provincial tourism authority has directed tourism businesses in the province to change the structure of the tourist service market from serving foreigners to focusing on domestic customers and diversify tourism products with more reasonable prices to meet demands of tourists with new conditions of operation due to the pandemic.