Vietnam PM says SARS outbreak has hurt tourism
TOKYO - Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan
Van Khai said on Wednesday that a deadly flu-like virus that
has wreaked havoc in Asia has led to a drop in travellers from
Japan, putting a dent in his country's tourism industry.
Khai stressed, however, that Vietnam had taken steps to
contain Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and that
the scope of the outbreak was limited.
"The disease has had a significant impact on tourism in Vietnam.
Tourists from Japan in particular have decreased sharply," said
Khai, speaking through an interpreter, adding that flights
between Japan and Vietnam have been hit by cancellations.
Hopes that Vietnam had shut the door on SARS were scuttled
when reports of more SARS infections in the southeast Asian
country came to light this month.
The World Health Organisation said another four cases of
SARS have been reported since April 3, all in rural Ninh Binh
province.
Until the emergence of the four cases, there had been no
incidences outside of the northern city of Hanoi and Vietnam
had hoped the disease had been beaten.
The SARS virus has killed more than 100 people and infected
more than 2,800 people in about 20 countries. There have been
four deaths from SARS in Vietnam and 66 infections.
Japanese investment
A major aim of Khai's visit to Japan that ends on Saturday, is to
secure an increase in Japanese investment.
Japan is Vietnam's largest trading partner and was its third
biggest foreign investor between 1988 to 2001 with total
investment of $4.1 billion, Vietnamese data shows.
"I want Japanese investors to be more daring in making
investments," said Khai, who noted that Japan and Vietnam on
Monday had agreed in principle on an investment accord.
The accord, when implemented, would seek to encourage
Japanese investment in Vietnam by ensuring Japanese firms are
treated the same as Vietnamese firms when applying for
permission to conduct investment.
It would also grant Japan most favoured nation status for
investment.
Once it comes into effect, the accord would also prohibit the
setting of requirements on the use of locally made parts.
Japanese officials say this could help prevent the recurrence of
spats similar to the one that flared up last September when
Vietnam irked foreign investors by suddenly imposing quotas on
imported motorcycle parts.
When Vietnam imposed the import limits, which were dropped
in January, three of the biggest motorbike assemblers in
Vietnam -- Japan's Honda Motor Co Ltd , Suzuki
Motor Corp and Yamaha Motor Co Ltd <7272.T>
-- either halted or slowed output.
Khai also called for an increase in trade with Japan.
"I would like Japan to create conditions so Vietnamese
products can get into Japan easier so that the amount of trade
can increase," he said.
By Masayuki Kitano - Reuter - April 9, 2003.
SARS hits Vietnam's tourist industry
Vietnam's tourism industry is facing a serious crisis, with the hotel occupation
rate falling last month to 40 percent due to the pneumonia outbreak.
A senior official from the National Tourism Administration, Vu The Binh, said
SARS had pushed the tourism industry into a serious crisis.
Mr Binh said many tours were cancelled and the number of international
arrivals, especially from Europe and Japan, were down to a critical level while
the hotel occupation dropped from 98 percent in the first two months to 40
percent in March.
According to the World Health Organisation, the disease has infected 62 in
the country, of which four have died and 44 recovered.
Everyday, thousands of foreigners enter Vietnam with about 30 percent of
them coming from China and Hongkong, where most of the SARS fatalities
have been.
ABC Radio Australia - April 10, 2003.
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