Local residents look for summer tours at a travel agency. Photo courtesy of nld.com.vn

As the COVID-19 pandemic is under better control, locals’ tourism demand has witnessed positive growth recently.

Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCM City recently has seen many groups of tourists checking in for flights to Hanoi, Phu Quoc, Da Nang and provinces in the northeastern and northwestern region.

Traveller Nguyen Thi Hoa from Ninh Thuan Province booked her 5-day, 4-night tour from HCM City to Hanoi three weeks in advance since she said she felt “safe enough”.

“After a long while staying in, I decided to go on an adventure to Ha Giang, in addition to a tour to Tay Nguyen that I had already booked several weeks ago. As the epidemic is under control, I will plan another trip to the Mekong Delta soon,” she said.

According to TSTtourist Company, the number of tour bookings has significantly increased recently. In April, the company hosted 3,000 arrivals and has received nearly 2,000 tourists who have booked tours in May.

Communication director of TSTtourist Company Nguyen Minh Man said the month of April has been a good start for vibrant tourism activities during the upcoming summer. Many travel agencies and authorities across many provinces and cities have been preparing new tourism products.

Director of the marketing department of Saigontourist Travel Company Doan Thi Thanh Tra added that Phu Quoc, Da Nang and cities in the North are among the most popular destinations in the summer.

Tours to Da Lat and Buon Mai Thuot - Kon Tum have been embraced as well.

“In addition to restoring the entire domestic travel itinerary, the company has increased the number of possible departure days for the entire itinerary. Summer tours and departure days have been updated to August 2021 for easy selection and flexible schedule. The company also plans to increase seats by 20 per cent for all tours compared to last year,” she said.

Meanwhile, according to Fiditour - Vietluxtour Travel Company, besides the April 30 holiday and upcoming summer tours offered at very good prices, the company is looking forward to sales from the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) market at resorts and hotels.

There have been a high number of contracts from large groups with sales from VNĐ1 billion per booking, said the communication director of the company, Tran Thi Bao Thu.

The popular destinations in this market are Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet, Quy Nhon, Phu Yen, Da Nang, Da Lat, and Vung Tau. 

Further support

Leaders of many travel agencies expect that with more vaccinations being given across the country, the tourism market will recover in the second quarter of 2021.

This year’s holiday tour prices have fallen by 5 to 20 per cent compared to the same period last year. However, tourists are travelling mostly in groups of family and friends and choosing safe tourism products and services.

Vietravel is planning a summer promotion programme to increase the benefits for both solo travellers and those who travel in groups.

According to Fiditour - Vietluxtour Travel Company, it is essential to come up with effective linkage programmes between aviation, travel, hotel and destination services to create leverage for the tourism market.

Vietravel has coordinated with Ha Giang Province to create quality tourism programmes and will further work with other provinces to prepare attractive tours during the summer.

As for the “vaccine passport” now under consideration, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other authorities to propose the best policies and solutions to support travel agencies and remove their difficulties.

VNS

High hopes for recovery of domestic tourism during summer

Tourism operators have been bullish about their business’s bouncing back after being battered by COVID-19 as the summer holidays near and the disease is largely brought under control.