Tourists visit the yellow Brassica napus season.

Never before has the tourism industry in the "city in the cloud" been so quiet and severely harmed as it will be in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of the impact of the first "wave" of Covid-19, the number of tourists dropped dramatically, and many restaurants and lodging establishments were forced to temporarily close operations due to social distancing and a lack of guests. When the pandemic was largely under control, Sa Pa town, the Sa Pa Tourism Association, and Fansipan Sa Pa Cable Car Service Co., Ltd plan launched the 2020 summer tourism stimulus package, which will include numerous attractive incentives for visitors.

Coming to Sa Pa on the occasion of summer 2020 stimulus, visitors can participate in preferential programs, promotions, discounts from 10% to 60% of tickets to tourist attractions, travel services, accommodation, food... It is this stimulus package that has brought tourists to Sa Pa more and more.

According to Ms. Hoang Thi Vuong, Head of Culture and Information Department of Sa Pa Town, the first stimulus in 2020 has resulted in a surge in domestic tourists to Sapa. There are weeks, routes, and tourist attractions in the area that welcome over 63,000 visitors, which is nearly equal to the normal period's record number. Sapa remains a safe destination thanks to the government's early stimulus policy, as well as the cooperation of businesses and people in disease prevention and control. Because of the timely and effective stimulus policy, Sa Pa has become the leading tourist area in the country with the fastest recovery rate.

The second "wave" of Covid-19 appeared when Sa Pa's tourism industry was just reviving. Learning from previous experience, Sa Pa town prioritized disease prevention and control, and the level of influence of the second "wave" of Covid-19 on the tourism industry in Sa Pa has decreased significantly. Stimulus policies were maintained, but the tourism industry's recovery was slower than the first time due to complicated developments in some localities.

By the end of 2020, the third "wave" of Covid-19 continued to deal a heavy blow to the demand stimulus efforts of Sa Pa's tourism industry. At the end of 2020, Sa Pa welcomed 1.2 million visitors, tourism revenue was estimated at 3,600 billion VND, decreased more than 65% compared to 2019 but still one of the leading localities in the number of visitors.

Tourists experience the beauty of Lao Cai highland.

When the third "wave" of Covid-19 was under control in mid-March 2021, the first batches of vaccines became available in Vietnam, ushering in the expectation of a new normal status. Sa Pa town is the first in Lao Cai province hosting a conference to discuss plans and solutions for increasing demand and removing obstacles for tourism businesses. Soon after, the town of Sa Pa issued a tourism plan that included many programs promoting "Sa Pa - a safe destination" as well as coordinating the organization of famtrip/presstrip delegations of reporters and domestic travel agencies to promote Sapa tourism. Furthermore, the town will organize activities such as the Mau Thuong Temple Festival, season festivals such as Summer, Autumn, and Winter, and the Sa Pa Love Festival in 2021... with a variety of activities to help visitors experience Sapa's unique cultural identity.

One of the earliest activities to attract visitors to be organized by Sa Pa town in the near future is the Mau Thuong Temple Festival (April 10-14), the opening of the Summer Festival (in April) and the Love Season Festival 2021 (in May). In particular, it is expected that on the occasion of April 30, Sa Pa will hold a cheraw dance event and set a record of cheraw dance with the largest number of attendees in Vietnam. In which, there will be about 1,000 pairs of cheraw dance at the same time at Quan yard, Cau May yard, Xuan Vien flower garden and tourist attractions throughout the town.

Sa Pa Tourism Association cooperates with Culture - Information Department and Fansipan Sa Pa Cable Car Service Co., Ltd. to build a tourism stimulus package "Sa Pa - fly in the middle of flower season" to catch the "wave" of holiday schedule April 30 - May 1, 2021 and summer 2021 with the emphasis on flowers. In particular, coming to Sa Pa on this occasion, visitors can take the cable car to fully see the azalea forest with many colors of the Hoang Lien range.

According to Mr. Pham Cao Vy, Chairman of the Sa Pa Tourism Association, "over 30 businesses have agreed to participate in the tourism stimulus plan "Sa Pa - fly in the middle of flower season" in 2021." After months of planning, members of the association are ready to return with preferential packages ranging from 20% to 60% off service prices and the highest quality to serve visitors. “We are continuing to discuss and reach an agreement on the timing, specific policies, and stimulus packages. From now until the end of 2021, the new point in the stimulus policy is to apply discount packages every day of the week (except Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Furthermore, we hope that the town and the unit will continue to organize a variety of activities to attract tourists to Sapa in 2021,” Mr. Vy stated.

“2021 is expected to be an eventful year with the typical cultural identity of the Sa Pa ethnic groups. The town will organize activities from now until the end of 2021. We will collaborate with Tourism Associations, businesses, localities, and media agencies to create tourism stimulus packages that are tailored to the needs of tourists. Each theme will be designed to attract and provide memorable experiences for visitors to Sapa. It is hoped that the joint participation of all parties in stimulating demand will create a new push, promoting the tourism industry to recover and develop in the new normal period" - Ms. Hoang Thi Vuong, Head of Culture Department - Sapa Town Information added.