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The Telegraph reports that, according to a survey by The Post Office (UK) on long-distance travel costs, prices at some attractive tourist destinations, particularly in the Far East, have decreased thanks to the appreciation of the British pound against many other currencies.
If measured by a "basket of goods" including food and drinks at restaurants and bars, or essential items at supermarkets such as sunscreen and insect repellent, The Post Office report indicates that prices have decreased compared to 2022 in 88% of the destinations they surveyed, with Hoi An (Vietnam) having the lowest prices. Following in the top 10 best-value destinations are Bali (Indonesia) and Phuket (Thailand).
Furthermore, the tourism industry in the Far East is also making efforts to implement various promotional and marketing measures with numerous promotional programs and incentives to attract tourists to return.
Hoi An Old Town
Sadudee Sangnil, Director of the London (UK) office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: “Tourism in the Far East has faced a number of challenges on its path to recovery after the pandemic. The biggest challenge is the cost of air travel and flight capacity.”
Prolonged restrictions in some countries also slowed the pace of tourism recovery in 2022. Encouragingly, however, travel demand is increasing significantly following the Covid-19 pandemic. One travel company told the Telegraph that this allows them to negotiate better prices with suppliers and, consequently, offer more favorable rates to their customers.
Empty beaches in Thailand
However, the Telegraph assesses that the level of tourism recovery in Thailand is still much lower than before the pandemic. Explaining this, Sam Clark of Experience Travel Group said that Thailand's tourism recovery has been slowed by three main reasons: (1) Inconsistent and confusing post-pandemic tourism reopening/closing policies; (2) Covid-19 restrictions were lifted very late, after many countries had returned to normal; (3) Thailand's tourism infrastructure was actually affected.
Therefore, travel companies and domestic hotels are trying to offer special deals to attract tourists back to Thailand. Small-scale luxury hotels in Thailand are offering very good prices with guaranteed quality for tourists, Clark added.
Parveen Jackson, Product Director at Luxtripper, said: “Koh Samui has struggled to attract tourists since the pandemic, partly due to the lack of direct flights from London. However, travelers can also choose to fly to Bangkok for a few days before traveling to Koh Samui.”
The boom in Vietnamese tourism.
The Telegraph reports that, meanwhile, Vietnam is experiencing an impressive tourism recovery. New visa regulations, along with the development of high-end tourism, have helped tourist numbers gradually return to pre-Covid-19 levels. In addition, the British pound is appreciating against the Vietnamese dong, making it easier for tourists to spend money in Vietnam, according to a report by The Post Office.
Cua Dai Beach
According to Parveen Jackson, Product Director of Luxtripper, "Post-pandemic, Vietnam has focused on developing into a high-end tourist destination, which means fostering the creation of new luxury hotels, improving services from providers, and upgrading local infrastructure. While luxury tourism in Vietnam is growing, the price of an all-inclusive tour package remains very reasonable without compromising service or quality.”
The Telegraph suggests that travelers should plan their trip to Vietnam carefully and thoughtfully to fully enjoy their vacation. This includes paying attention to the weather and peak tourist seasons in each location if you're looking for a less crowded holiday. For example, in Hue, traveling during the winter months means experiencing the long rainy season from October to January. Instead, you could plan your trip between February and May. Visiting Hue in March, you'll find fewer crowds and can freely enjoy the beautiful city and wonderful experiences along the coast.
