VietNamNet Bridge – Travel agents are holding low expectations for the industry’s growth despite various discount programmes as people only have one day off for National Day on September 2.

Short tour packages are preferred

Pham Bich Ngoc from Vietrantour Company said her company was offering several trips for the event. Customers on a tour to the Republic of Korea will be given VND1 million (US$47) and voucher for anyone who like to go shopping at Lotte Duty Free. While a trip to the UK dropped by VND10 million, to VND52.9 million. The prices of a European tour have also been sliced by VND15 million, to VND44.9 million.

For in-bound tours, Truong Thi Minh, vice director of Saigontourist, said a four-day Hanoi-Danang-Hoi An-Cham Island-Ba Na Hill tour now only costs VND5.65 million, a VND2.99 million discount. While the cost of four-day tour from Hanoi to Buon Ma Thuot decreased by VND3.9 million, to VND6.09 million.

Tran Tuan Anh, deputy director of Vietravel in Hanoi said because people only have one day off, most people have opted for short tour packages which do not involve long trips.

National Day is considered the last chance for summer tours, however, besides lower prices, new tour concepts were needed. According to several experts, this year National Day is also close to the 70th anniversary of August Revolution so people were likely to stay in big cities to enjoy activities at home.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing and communication director of Fiditour predicted that the number of customers may increase with a maximum of only 10%. Meanwhile, Vietravel only hopes to have the same growth as last year but the situation does not look good.

Source: DTriNews