Prioritize nearby tourism
The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism announced that during the 5-day holiday from April 30 to May 1 (from April 27 to May 1, 2024), the tourism industry served approximately 8 million visitors, a 14.2% increase compared to the same period in 2023 of which about 3.6 million visitors stayed overnight. The average room occupancy rate at accommodation facilities nationwide reached about 60% (over 70% on peak days), and some coastal destinations achieved occupancy rates of 95-100% during the holiday period.
Tourism experts advise visitors to proactively plan their trips and make reservations early to secure good prices (Photo: Như Ý).
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, this year’s holiday lasted 5 days, so most destinations welcomed a large number of visitors, extended their stays, and generated higher revenue compared to the same period in 2023. “Room rates and tourism services did not fluctuate significantly. The security, environmental sanitation, and food safety at destinations were all well-maintained. The active preparation and organization of various large-scale cultural events, festivals, and sporting events at localities and tourism centers, particularly with the support of businesses, have resulted in the creation of new tourism products, stimulating the demand for entertainment and relaxation…”, said the head of the National Tourism Administration.
During the recent holiday, in order to adapt to the increase in domestic airfares, many tour operators diversified their tour offerings by increasing the number of high-quality bus tours on short routes and combining trains, buses, and water transport on longer routes. This approach both reduced tour costs and enhanced the visitor experience. The trend of self-driving to nearby destinations also increased and is expected to be a popular mode of transportation during the upcoming summer vacation.
In the Northern region, destinations such as Ha Long, Cat Ba, Sam Son… were all crowded. In Sa Pa, according to visitors’ accounts, on the afternoon of April 30, traffic increased dramatically, causing localized congestion in the central area from the lakeside to the Cat Cat tourist area. Due to high demand, most hotels imposed a surcharge of around 30% for the April 30 – May 1 holiday, with some hotels charging a surcharge of 40-50%. In Cat Ba, some hotels nearly doubled their room rates, from 1.7 million VND to 3 million VND. In Hanoi, suburban resorts, high-end apartment complexes, and 3-5 star hotels experienced high room occupancy rates, with the Glory Son Tay Hotel reaching 95% and the Melia Ba Vi Hotel reaching 90%…
Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu – Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour – stated that service prices at some domestic destinations increased due to high demand from tourists during this period. “Tourists can immediately report any cases of overcharging that occur during the holiday season to the relevant authorities at the destination for assistance. This also contributes to the development of professional tourism,” said Ms. Thu.
Mr. Bui Thanh Tu – Marketing Director of Best Price Travel Company – emphasized that the human and resource capacities of some localities were insufficient to meet the surge in tourism demand during the holiday. The workforce, which was depleted after the COVID-19 pandemic, has yet to fully recover.
“The overcrowding in some localities was caused by the fact that the destinations and accommodation facilities had limited room capacity but had to accommodate an excessive number of visitors. Additionally, many businesses only focus on attracting visitors during the peak summer season and often hire temporary staff for short periods of time, resulting in compromised staff quality,” said Mr. Tu, adding that the congestion at some coastal tourist destinations such as Ha Long and Thanh Hoa was a consequence of increased airfares, which lead tourists to flock to nearby destinations.
Although tourism revenue increased significantly in many localities, representatives from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism pointed out that in some areas, revenue did not correspond to the quality
