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Vietnamese holiday-makers in Japan in March |
According to Saigontourist Travel, the number of tourists booking foreign tours has increased sharply, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total number of tourists buying tours on the upcoming holiday.
It is estimated that 100,000 individual and group visitors planned over 200 trips abroad. According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Y Yen, General Director of Saigontourist Travel, a lot of tourists have chosen tours to Japan, Taiwan (China), South Korea, and Thailand this year.
Also according to Saigontourist, the number of registered tourists for the tour has reached 75 percent of its plan. Most holiday-makers favored tours to foreign countries such as Australia, Japan, Europe, Canada, the USA and Cuba which are fully booked; so the agent has not admitted more bookings. Presently, tours to Southeast Asia such as Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, and Thailand are still available for more travelers.
A female customer who bought a tour from Saigontourist revealed that her family members - 6 people - planned to shop in foreign countries; thus, they decided to choose a tour to Thailand, because they can shop in Thailand with prices more reasonable than in the country.
Realizing people’s demand for travel abroad during the long national holidays, Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, Marketing Director of Vietravel, informed that the company had prepared a plan of taking care of customers attentively.
According to Ms. Van Khanh, the number of tourists choosing foreign tours accounts for over 70 percent. Moreover, she forecast that more people registered for the upcoming summer tours.
Similarly, Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour Travel, said that the number of tourists choosing foreign tours increased significantly. Vietluxtour has not received more travelers for trips to Australia or Japan. As for TSTtourist, the company has nearly reached the milestone of welcoming 2,000 customers for the national holidays of April 30 and May 1.
Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications - Marketing Department of TST tourist Company, predicted that the number of tourists choosing foreign tours may increase when the Chinese market relaxes quarantine requirements for visitors in June.
Meanwhile, according to travel agencies, currently, tours to Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Ha Long Bay are favorite domestic trips. Some big hotels and resorts announced no surcharge for guests who book early to encourage people to stay and retain travelers.
On April 13, airfares during the national long holiday were higher than on weekdays. In particular, airfares for many flights to tourist destinations have been sold out. Currently, round-trip tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc cost VND3.5 million but there are not many flights left. Those who decided to travel close to the national holiday must buy a round-trip ticket from Vietnam Airline at VND9 million.
The Saigon Railway Transport Company said that trains from Ho Chi Minh City to other provinces are already sold out in the upcoming peak days of the holiday; yet, the ticket prices are 20 percent higher than on weekdays. Coach companies have not announced price increases during the holiday because people's travel demand is still low.
