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Prices are stable, and customers prefer to travel in organized tours.
According to a quick survey by reporters, this year, transportation, restaurants, hotels, etc., are quite stable in terms of price and ticket availability thanks to the collaboration of travel agencies, transportation companies, and accommodation providers. Many travel companies are offering good deals on tours for the September 2nd holiday at the last minute.
Domestic tours vary in price depending on duration and the number of places visited. Day tours range from 130,000 VND per person to 2 million VND per person. Tours lasting two days or more start at around 1.99 million VND per person.
Meanwhile, overseas tour prices range from 4.39 million VND per person to over 20 million VND per person for 3-day/2-night or 5-day/4-night tours, mainly to nearby destinations in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. Besides the diverse range of destinations, overseas tours departing from Ho Chi Minh City are generally more affordable compared to those from other locations.
Routes to Northwest Vietnam are among the favorite choices for many tourists this holiday season.
Visiting a travel agency in Hanoi to inquire about a tour package to three destinations in Ha Giang priced at over 4 million VND per person for the September 2nd holiday, Ms. Ha Minh (Dong Da District, Hanoi) said: “I think the tour prices this year are reasonable, not higher than in previous years. A family of four going on a tour might be a little more expensive than traveling independently, but it's quick and convenient. Compared to the prices advertised online, it's quite a bit more expensive, but I still decided to choose a large, reputable travel company because there are too many scams involving cheap tours these days.”
According to travel companies, the majority of tour buyers are still families, who tend to choose 3-5 day leisure tours, with an average of 4-10 participants per group.
Mr. Pham Van Bay, Deputy Director of Vietravel Tourism Company - Hanoi Branch, reported that in recent days, the number of customers registering for tours has been quite high. “According to our business unit, more than 45,000 customers have registered for tours and travel packages for the upcoming September 2nd holiday at Vietravel. As of mid-August, we have reached over 80% of our planned tour schedule for the holiday.”
Noting positive signals from the market, Saigontourist Travel Company reported that it has sold nearly 90% of its planned tours for the September 2nd holiday, with departure dates from August 29th to September 3rd. Domestic tours by air and tours to Northeast Asia are still accepting bookings until the end of last week. Meanwhile, domestic tours by land and tours to Southeast Asia will accept bookings until the day before departure.
Tour prices this year are considered quite reasonable.
Mr. Tran Quoc Bao, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist, said: “According to preliminary statistics from the entire system of 24 offices and 18 branches of Saigontourist nationwide, the number of tourists taking domestic tours during this period increased by nearly 24%, and outbound tourism increased by more than 10% compared to the same period last year.”
In particular, to meet the sudden surge in demand closer to the tour date, Saigontourist has prepared a reserve number of seats for customers who book tours at the last minute for domestic road tours.
Vietluxtour Travel Company anticipates that the number of domestic and international tourists will increase by 20-25% compared to last year during this holiday season.
“The company has been preparing its business plan for this holiday season since the second quarter of 2023, and has now reached approximately 85% of its projected target,” shared Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour.
Domestic tours are popular, while short-term overseas tours are attracting customers.
Statistics from travel agencies show that, despite the long 4-day holiday period, which coincides with the start of the school year, short domestic tours remain the main product attracting more family travelers than other routes.
Short-day tours experiencing the rice harvest season and the culture of ethnic minorities in the highlands of the Northeast and Northwest regions, such as Ha Giang, Lao Cai, and Moc Chau, are popular with tourists, especially those from the South. Tours focusing on beach and island resorts, heritage sites in Central Vietnam (Hue - Hoi An), exploring Phong Nha - Thien Duong caves (Quang Binh), highland tourism (Da Lat, Mang Den), and the waterways of the Mekong Delta remain preferred choices for families.
With a four-day holiday period, many companies choose MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism during this time.
In addition, during this year's September 2nd holiday, many companies are choosing MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism to destinations such as Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Ha Long, and Hanoi. These tours typically last 3-4 days and include seminars, award ceremonies, team training, etc., with accommodation ranging from 3-5 stars.
Explaining why many companies choose this time for MICE tourism, a representative from Vietluxtour said, "Service prices in the autumn-winter season are expected to be lower than in the summer, so companies are taking advantage of the holiday period to combine conference and leisure travel for their staff."
Along with family tours, travel agencies also continue to focus on day trips to explore the city.
Many companies offer a variety of tours around Hanoi. Some examples include Hanoitourist's "Thang Long Heritage Journey - Hanoi Past and Present," and Saigontourist's "Hanoi City Tour." These tours, combining exploration of Hanoi's unique heritage and culture with traditional cuisine, have received positive feedback from customers.
As a travel agency specializing in tours around Ho Chi Minh City, Vietluxtour continues its series of more than 10 city tours and inter-regional tours within and outside Ho Chi Minh City for the upcoming September 2nd holiday, including: Saigon Commando Tour; Sac Forest - The Future City Tour; Dinh Mountain - Youth Union Base; Memories of Saigon - Cholon…
“These tours maintain a steady stream of customers, increasing by about 25-30% during the summer months. The main target customers are domestic tourists in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities. Approximately 25-30% of inbound tourists come from the US, Australia, Europe, Northeast Asia, etc.,” Ms. Bao Thu added.
With many destinations around the world fully reopening, short overseas tours to nearby destinations such as Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, and China continue to be particularly attractive to many tourists.
Statistics from Saigontourist show that tours to Japan, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore-Malaysia remain the most popular choices. In addition, destinations such as the Hong Kong-Shenzhen-Guangzhou route and the Australia summer skiing experience are attracting significant interest from tourists.
Meanwhile, Vietravel reported that tours to Bali (Indonesia), Phuket (Thailand), India, and China, with their simplified application procedures and numerous convenient direct flights, have been chosen by more customers compared to the same period last year.
