Vietnam PM says pandemic costs $8.6 billion in budget revenue

The pandemic is seen costing Vietnam nearly 200 trillion dong ($8.6 billion) in budget revenue this year, according to the government’s website, which cited Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a discussion with National Assembly deputies on Monday.

Tourism has been the hardest-hit sector as borders remain shut to foreign tourists, Phuc said, the website reported. Under normal conditions, the country may welcome 21 million foreign arrivals, generating revenue of more than $60 billion, in a year, he said.

To contain the virus, Vietnam won’t allow foreign tourists to enter the country through 2020, Dan Tri news website reported, citing the premier during the same discussion.

By Mai Ngoc Chau – Bloomberg – November 3, 2020