Vũ Hải Sâm, deputy director of the Domestic Tourism Division at Saigontourist Travel Services Co Ltd, said that tours to northern localities, ranging from VNĐ9-15 million (US$366-610), have been attractive to visitors.

Besides, road trips departing from HCM City to explore such destinations as Bảo Lộc, Nha Trang, Đà Lạt, Phan Thiết, Buôn Ma Thuột, and Măng Đen have won favour among customers, he added.

Statistics from Saigontourist showed that bookings from the overseas Vietnamese have risen dramatically, accounting for up to 80 per cent of the total.

A tour guide of Saigontourist (2nd right) explains to foreign tourists who have arrived in Việt Nam on cruise Spectrum of the Seas that docked Nha Trang sea port on January 4. — Photo courtesy of Saigontourist

During the peak Tết season, which runs from February 2 to 9, the tour operator will service some 28,000 domestic and foreign visitors, up 20 per cent from the same time last year.

According to Nguyễn Minh Mẫn, communications and marketing director at TST Tourist, the overseas Vietnamese are interested in seven to ten-day tour packages to the northern region.

In the run-up to Tết holiday, HCM City has welcomed thousands of visitors a day who then continue their trips to the Mekong Delta and neighbouring countries.

Some 416,000 foreign visitors and more than 2.3 million domestic ones made their trips in the city, helping it generate nearly VNĐ13 trillion in tourism revenue in January, up 57 per cent year-on-year, according to the municipal tourism authority.

Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport said it hosts 860-900 flights with 135,000-140,000 passengers a day from January 26 to February 24. The airport authority has penned detailed plans and arrange staff and equipment to prevent congestion and provide the passengers with the best services. — VNS