High airfares dampen Tet travel demand

Van Thinh of Hanoi has been searching for Tet air travel options for his family but has yet to find a feasible deal.

The lowest price he found for a round trip between Hanoi and Nha Trang with reasonable flight times between Jan. 30 and Feb. 2, 2025, was over VND7 million (US$275).

Tickets to Phu Quoc cost VND7.5 million, double the normal rate.

For his family of four, this meant airfares alone cost around VND30 million, and he has postponed the travel plans.

The Year of the Snake begins on Jan. 29.

According to ticket office data from travel agency Best Price, airfares during the Tet holidays have risen by 10-15% from last year.

Surveys done on Nov. 20 found tickets between HCMC and Hanoi between Jan. 30 and Feb. 3 cost up to VND7 million compared to the usual VND2.5–3.5 million on weekdays.

Round tickets from HCMC to Phu Quoc and Nha Trang cost VND3.7 million and VND6.5 million.

The usurious fares have dampened travel companies' interest in offering domestic tours.

Hoang Viet Travel has chosen not to sell domestic tours that involve flights, realizing that the high fares could put off travelers.

Instead, it is focusing on road-based tours.

"Our company is prioritizing road tours because they are more budget-friendly for customers," Luu Thi Thu, deputy director of the company, said.

Tran Phuong Linh, marketing and IT director at HCMC-based BenThanh Tourist, said domestic tour prices during Tet are 20% higher than usual due to high airfares.

Her company has slashed 50% of tours to northern destinations such as Ha Long and Ha Giang and the northwest, he said, citing both the high airfares and damaged infrastructure due to Typhoon Yagi.

Other travel agencies have echoed these concerns, warning that such high airfares could send people to international destinations instead.

In early November major tour operators such as Vietluxtour and Vietravel reported strong interest in travel to countries like Thailand, China and South Korea during Tet.

International tour prices have remained steady since last year, making them an attractive alternative for Vietnamese travelers.