According to a survey report by The Post Office (UK) on long-distance travel costs, thanks to the appreciation of the British Pound compared to many other currencies, prices at some attractive tourist destinations have decreased, especially in the Far East region, according to the Telegraph.
If measured by a “basket of goods” including food and drinks at restaurants, bars, or essential items at supermarkets including sunscreen, insect repellent, etc., The Post Office report said that compared to 2022, prices have decreased at 88% of the destinations they surveyed, of which Hoi An (Vietnam) has the cheapest prices. Following in the top 10 destinations with good prices are Bali (Indonesia) and Phuket (Thailand).
Not only that, the tourism industry in the Far East is also making efforts to implement many promotional measures with many incentive programs to attract tourists to return.
Hoi An Ancient Town
“Tourism in the Far East has faced a number of challenges on the road to recovery from the pandemic, with the biggest being the cost of air travel and capacity,” said Sadudee Sangnil, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s London office.
Prolonged restrictions in some countries are also slowing the pace of tourism recovery in 2022. Fortunately, demand for travel is also increasing significantly after the Covid-19 pandemic. One travel company told the Telegraph that this allows the company to negotiate better prices with suppliers and thereby offer more preferential prices to its customers.
Empty beaches in Thailand
However, the Telegraph assessed 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 was slowed by three main reasons: (1) The policy of closing/opening tourism after the pandemic was inconsistent and confusing; (2) Covid-19 restrictions were lifted very late, after many countries had returned to normal; (3) Thailand's tourism infrastructure was really affected.
As a result, local tour operators and hotels are trying to offer special deals to lure tourists back to Thailand. Smaller luxury hotels in Thailand are offering great prices with guaranteed quality for tourists, Clark added.
“Koh Samui has struggled to attract tourists since the pandemic, partly because direct flights from London have not resumed,” said Parveen Jackson, product manager at Luxtripper. “However, visitors can also choose to fly to Bangkok for a few days and then travel to Koh Samui.”
The boom of Vietnam tourism
Meanwhile, Vietnam is enjoying an impressive tourism recovery, the Telegraph reported. New visa regulations and the growth of luxury tourism have helped tourist numbers gradually return to pre-Covid-19 levels. In addition, the British pound is also appreciating against the Vietnamese currency, making it easier for tourists to spend in Vietnam, according to a report by The Post Office.
Cua Dai Beach
“Post-pandemic, Vietnam has focused on developing itself as a luxury travel destination, and this has meant driving new luxury hotels, improving service from suppliers, and upgrading local infrastructure,” said Parveen Jackson, Product Director at Luxtripper. “Although luxury travel in Vietnam is growing, the price for a package tour remains very reasonable without compromising on service or quality.”
Telegraph suggests that tourists should plan their trip to Vietnam carefully and thoughtfully to fully enjoy their vacation. In particular, they need to pay attention to the weather, or the peak tourist season of each locality if they are looking for a less crowded vacation. For example, in Hue, if you go in winter, it will fall into the rainy months from October to January. Instead, tourists can plan to go in February to May. Coming to Hue in March, tourists will see that the crowds are no longer and will be free to enjoy a beautiful city as well as great experiences by the sea.
