Domestic tours are gradually getting hotter as the departure dates approach. Meanwhile, international tour bookings have been bustling since early on.
Close-range, outbound tours fully booked
On the afternoon of April 13, after careful deliberation, Mai Huong, residing in District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, decided to opt for a "staycation" right within the city. "In previous years, my family often traveled to South Korea, Japan, or Thailand. However, this year, we decided to stay in the city due to concerns about queuing and waiting during peak times," Huong explained. During the holiday, many travel agencies have rolled out exciting urban tourism products, such as the night tour " Nha Be Thousand and One Nights" in Nha Be District and the "War Zone Moon " - the Cu Chi Tunnels Historical Relic Site.
Meanwhile, Suoi Tien Cultural Theme Park is offering a 20-percent discount on entrance tickets until May 4, as well as a 10-percent discount on bills at Pho Lau (Hotpot Street) until April 30. Visitors can also enjoy free admission and photo opportunities and taste grapes at the Shine Muscat grape farm or purchase them for VND350,000 per kg until May 31. The "Saigon River Sightseeing" tour on the Saigon Water Go double-decker boat is also attracting a large number of visitors. According to travel companies, many holiday tour routes are in high demand and expected to be bustling.
Ms. Tran Phuong Linh, Director of Marketing and Information Technology at BenThanh Tourist, revealed that there is a significant number of bookings for domestic tours. Outbound tours alone have been seeing an increase of 10 percent to 20 percent compared to regular days. Particularly, tours to Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia destinations, such as South Korea and Japan, are experiencing high demand. Travelers are showing a tendency to research and book overseas tours early. Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour, said that the outbound tour market has achieved over 70 percent of the plan, with a focus on routes to Europe, America, Australia, and Northeast Asia.
Southeast Asia tours can be sold closer to departure dates since they do not require visa procedures. Regarding the domestic tour market, it has achieved approximately 60 percent of the plan, comprising all-inclusive tours and combo packages. Domestic travelers tend to book tours close to the departure date or even during the holiday, so the company is always ready to provide services.
Mr. PHAM VAN THUY, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT):
The April 30 and May 1 holiday spans five days, presenting a favorable opportunity to attract tourists. The VNAT has been working with various destinations and has proposed close coordination between localities, tourism enterprises, travel agencies, and airlines to meet the travel needs of the public.
Ready to accommodate the "surge" of visitors
According to forecasts from businesses, this tourism season is expected to experience a "boom" due to the extended holiday period for the public. Representatives from several hotels in Vung Tau City have reported a notable increase in room bookings for the April 30 holiday period, with the Bai Sau area reaching over 50 percent of room capacity. Meanwhile, in the Ho Tram area in Xuyen Moc District, rooms have been booked well in advance, with the majority being family vacation groups.
During this time, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province will organize several exciting activities, including photography and art exhibitions, as well as sculpture displays featuring artists from Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Binh Duong provinces (from April 28 to May 2). In Xuyen Moc District, there will be the Charm Fantasea Concert 2024, featuring many famous singers on April 30.
In Con Dao District, various activities will take place from April 22 to 30, including a specialized exhibition on "Hoang Sa, Truong Sa - Sacred Seas and Islands," an environmental bike ride, Thanh Gia mountain climbing, and traditional boat racing. In Lam Dong Province, Mr. Dinh Tuan Anh, Director of the Love Valley Tourism Area, mentioned that they are currently renovating the tourist areas to accommodate the expected surge in visitors during this period.
Resources have been concentrated to enable tourists to experience key activities such as cultural exchanges featuring gong performances and a series of traditional Central Highlands folk games with local indigenous ethnic artisans; Explore the Night Garden of Lights; "Check in" at the Hydrangea garden; Experience the unique glass bridge in the Central Highlands. In Kon Tum Province, numerous cultural and tourist activities are being prioritized for implementation, particularly in the Mang Den Town area.
Mr. Pham Van Thang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Kon Plong District, Kon Tum Province, shared that the district would reorganize the market area to allow visitors to explore and purchase local specialties, along with large-scale arts and culinary programs. To welcome tourists, Binh Thuan Province is organizing several new tourism programs, such as the SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) festival in Phu Quy Island District and a series of Carnival festivals at NovaWorld Phan Thiet.
According to the Department of Tourism of Kien Giang Province, airfares to Phu Quoc from various locations are relatively high during this period, prompting many businesses to focus on operating high-speed boats and ferries from the mainland to the island. Currently, there are 28 high-speed boat trips per day from Rach Gia and Ha Tien to Phu Quoc City and vice versa. Additionally, transportation infrastructure among provinces in the region has been interconnected and upgraded, with many expressways put into operation, so many people prefer to travel to the island by car for convenience and cost-saving in transportation.
Inspection of price listing strengthens
The People's Committee of Phu Quoc City (Kien Giang Province) has issued a directive to relevant units to intensify fire prevention and firefighting inspections, as well as price listing inspections, to ensure safety and attract guests.
It is recorded that room prices in Vung Tau City during the April 30 holiday this year are relatively stable, with 5-star rooms for two people ranging from VND3.6-4 million; 4-star rooms priced at VND1.3-2.4 million depending on their proximity to the beach. The remaining 2-3-star segment has prices above and below VND1 million, and smaller hotels are around VND300,000-VND600,000. Similarly, most accommodation facilities in Da Lat City still have vacancies, and prices have remained relatively unchanged.
