Wednesday Walk | What travel agents do to convince it's safe to travel

Since the rise of the pandemic, travel agents worldwide have been suffering endlessly and it seems like there is no end. Wallets are tighten and everyone is cautious of spending the extra cash. Personal holidays are no longer on anyone's list instead it's the last thing on any list.

Sadly, Saigon Tourist is one of the largest travel agency in Vietnam and they too have gone under tremendous financial difficulty since the start of the pandemic. Not only do they own many travel agent officers but also resorts and transportation companies. In their continuous hope for a rebound, many suggestive ideas have been initiated however, none of it has worked out since the Government has stopped all inbound & outbound leisure activities. To make matters worst, the 2nd wave returned just a month back and now domestic business is on a stand still. People are fearful to spend money on holidays trips since their livelihood may be forsaken due to the unstability of their jobs.

Nevertheless, this travel agency is still confident that the tourism industry will survive in this country. They even organised a Saigon Tourist Travel Fair at Nguyen Hue just 2 weeks ago. People are invited to attend this event and plan their holiday schedules for the next 6 months. Discounts and free perks are extended out to those who are willing to commit their holidays trips with Saigon Tourist - which means upfront deposit payment.

I've got to give them credit for being ambitious and trying their level best to convince the public that it's safe to travel domestically. Though it's sad to see that the crowd doesn't seem to feel the same at all. These photos were taken in the evening and sadly many people still felt unsafe to be in the outdoors. Even with their masks on, everyone keeps a distance away from each other. I didn't see a que at all at the information or customer service counter. In addition, the sales persons seemed rather free and idling themselves away on their mobile phones.

So much for a travel fair.. I would call this sadly unsuccessful ☹️