Hundreds of boats in Ha Long wait for end of Covid-19 outbreak
Hundreds of tourist boats are lying idle in Ha Long Bay due to the lack of customers amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Nguyen Tung Kha, director of a private tour boat company in Ha Long said he had just put two expensive ships into use when the situation turned for the worse. "We were hard hit by the first outbreak in 2020 and the latest outbreak has knocked us out,"' he said. "Every day the vessels lie idle, we lost tens of millions of VND on each boat."
Many firms in Ha Long are on the brink of bankruptcy due to huge debts, docking and maintenance fees. Various other related services also suffer. Crew members tried to find other jobs and chefs on the ships became food traders.
Vu Manh Long, director of the Inland Waterways Department confirmed the depressing picture, saying that they had hoped for a better development in 2021 but the latest outbreak ruined any hope.
Quang Ninh People's Committee said they would launch support packages to help the local businesses alongside with the government's support package for firms in Vietnam.
They may lower VAT, environmental fees and other taxes and fees for the boat service providers. They will also ask banks to extend the deadlines for loans or lower the interest rates.
Hundreds of boats in Ha Long wait for end of Covid-19 outbreak
Nguyen Tung Kha, director of a private tour boat company in Ha Long said he had just put two expensive ships into use when the situation turned for the worse. "We were hard hit by the first outbreak in 2020 and the latest outbreak has knocked us out,"' he said. "Every day the vessels lie idle, we lost tens of millions of VND on each boat."
Many firms in Ha Long are on the brink of bankruptcy due to huge debts, docking and maintenance fees. Various other related services also suffer. Crew members tried to find other jobs and chefs on the ships became food traders.
Vu Manh Long, director of the Inland Waterways Department confirmed the depressing picture, saying that they had hoped for a better development in 2021 but the latest outbreak ruined any hope.
Quang Ninh People's Committee said they would launch support packages to help the local businesses alongside with the government's support package for firms in Vietnam.
They may lower VAT, environmental fees and other taxes and fees for the boat service providers. They will also ask banks to extend the deadlines for loans or lower the interest rates.
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