Local tourists posing for photos on the The Huc bridge at Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. The country’s domestic tourism is recovering fast. — Reuters
The rebound for New Zealanders who are reliant on tourism is expected to be slow, in marked contrast to how the tourism sector is faring in Vietnam, another nation that was hailed as a success story in Asia for containing the coronavirus. July is normally a peak travel season in New Zealand, along with Christmas, but scheduled flights are down 40% compared to the same month last year and even many of those are being cancelled, according to figures from travel analytics firm Cirium.
Nguyen Thi Thuy Anh, owner of a travel agency called Minh Viet Booking, says he is handling a surge in bookings as businesses slash prices to attract local travellers. In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is asking people to “experience your own backyard”. She is urging employers to consider four-day work weeks and has said the government is actively considering more public holidays this year so people can travel.