Japan, South Korea Tours in High Demand
During the April 30-May 1 holiday, tours to Northeast Asia (South Korea, Japan) are dominating the charts. This is still the peak season to enjoy cherry blossoms, spring flowers, beautiful natural scenery, and pleasant weather, which is a big draw for tourists .
Many species of flowers bloom in Japan during the April 30-May 1 holiday. Photo: Le Viet Vinh.
Mr. Bui Thanh Tu – Director of Best Price – said: “The April 30-May 1 holiday this year lasted 5 days, and with the increase in domestic airfares, tourists are shifting their focus to overseas travel. This year, the number of customers booking combos and outbound tours with me has increased sharply, helping total revenue increase by 200% compared to the same period last year, of which Northeast Asia tours such as South Korea and Japan have been sold out since the beginning of April”.
A representative of Vietluxtour said that the most popular routes at the company are South Korea, Japan, and Europe. These tours require early visa procedures, so they have been “closed” since mid-March. In addition, trips to Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia have been sold out since mid-April.
Most travel businesses believe that the reason Vietnamese tourists are shifting their preference to overseas travel is due to the long holiday period, coupled with the high cost of airfares for domestic travel.
A representative of a travel company in Hoan Kiem District (Hanoi) shared that Vietnamese tourists tend to compare prices. If the cost of a domestic tour is only a few million dong cheaper than an overseas tour, they will choose the overseas tour for a new experience.
For example, the cost of a pair of round-trip airfares to explore Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc during the holiday usually ranges from 6-10 million VND. As the holiday approaches, the airfares increase.
Meanwhile, many tour packages to China via land or air cost only 7 million VND/person and 14 million VND/person, respectively. Tours to Thailand by air cost only 9 million VND/person. Some tours to Thailand can even be discounted to around 4 million VND/person at the last minute.
Domestic tourists prefer road travel
Decreased household income and increased airfares have forced many families to carefully calculate their travel expenses. They tend to choose cheaper, more cost-effective means of transport such as private cars, coaches, and trains.
Mr. Hoang Binh Minh – Director of Ninh Binh Tourism Joint Stock Company – said that in the face of the increase in airfares, many individual and family customers in Hanoi are seeking affordable travel options. Popular destinations include Ninh Binh (Trang An, Bai Dinh Pagoda), Quang Ninh (Ha Long, Quan Lan Island), and Thanh Hoa (Pu Luong Plateau, Sam Son Beach), which are expected to be crowded.
Young people prefer combo tours to save money. Photo: Duy Quoc.
“In recent years, young people have preferred free and easy tours. This is a combo that combines transportation and accommodation services to provide customers with complete, convenient products at a lower cost than if they purchased individual services”, said Minh.
According to the Director of Best Price, domestic travel demand is quite diverse during this year’s holiday. Northern mountainous provinces such as Ha Giang and Sapa are popular. The 5-day, 4-night Hanoi – Moc Chau – Son La – Dien Bien – Sapa route is quite popular with tourists. In the south, tourists from HCMC are interested in tours to the Central Highlands, Da Nang, and Da Lat.
Train tours such as Hanoi – Hue and Hanoi – Quang Binh are also attractive to many tourists. According to a survey from the ticket sales page of Vietnam Railways Corporation, trains departing from Hanoi Station to southern provinces from April 26-27, such as SE1, SE5, SE11, SE19, and QB1, are almost sold out. On the return leg from April 30-May 1, there are also no tickets available for trains SE20, SE2, SE6, SE12, and QB2.
Many tourists rediscover old memories through special train trips.
For domestic flights, many businesses believe that the price of all-inclusive domestic tours this year will increase by about 15% compared to the same period last year. According to representatives of the companies, the cost of airfare usually accounts for about 50-60% of the tour price, so the increase in the ceiling price and the high demand for travel will result in higher prices for some domestic travel routes.
