VI
EN
At the end of February, Bamboo Airways announced the termination of its lease for three Embraer E190 aircraft and the cessation of all direct flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao. This has caused significant difficulties for tourists from the North traveling to Con Dao.
Previously, tourists could fly directly from Hanoi to Con Dao in just over 2 hours. However, now they are forced to take connecting flights in Ho Chi Minh City or Can Tho, increasing travel time to at least 4 hours.
This route is in high demand, and the limited availability of tickets has left many disappointed and worried about the possibility of exorbitant prices.
In addition, airfares may also increase compared to before. According to Mr. Bui Thanh Tu, Director of Best Price travel agency, the total cost of a round-trip flight from Hanoi to Con Dao could increase by about 10-20%.
Difficulties in transportation have also affected the number of tourists visiting Con Dao. According to Mr. Tu, Con Dao has lost nearly 50% of its tourists from the North after Bamboo Airways stopped direct flights.
Mr. Trung, residing in Long Bien district, Hanoi, shared: "Every year I go on a pilgrimage to Con Dao with a 3-day, 2-night tour. But this year, I had to take a connecting flight, so I only had one day to enjoy the holiday, spending most of the remaining two days traveling. Because of the travel difficulties, the number of family members participating in this trip was also limited."
To meet the growing demand for travel to Con Dao, Vietnam Airlines has increased the frequency of flights to Con Dao since mid-March. In addition, tourists can also travel by speedboat from southern provinces such as Soc Trang, Vung Tau, and Can Tho.
Tourists can also travel by speedboat from southern provinces such as Soc Trang, Vung Tau, and Can Tho.
However, traveling by high-speed train also has many inconveniences such as long travel times (2.5 - 4 hours) and high ticket prices (from 280,000 to 1.2 million VND per person).
The suspension of direct flights between Hanoi and Con Dao is significantly impacting tourism in Con Dao. Hopefully, airlines will soon find solutions to meet the travel needs of tourists from the North.
