Tourism to stay moderate during national holiday in September

With a four-day span from Sept. 1 to 4, this National Day holiday is a convenient time for both domestic and international travel.

However, this doesn't guarantee a surge in tourism activity, since travelers have already taken trips earlier in the year during summer and the Independence Day holiday (April 30 and May 1). Therefore, only a small number of people chose to travel during the upcoming holiday.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications director at travel agency Vietluxtour, noted that transportation, restaurant and hotel costs are stable. However, these factors might not help increase the booking of both inbound and outbound tours significantly.

As the new school year is approaching, families with children can’t travel and the number of visitors is expected to be lower compared to the peak time in summer.

Meanwhile, Tran Phuong Linh, IT Marketing director at BenThanh Tourist, highlighted the economy as the main factor that led to tightened tourist spending.

Recent trends have shown a shift in tourist behavior, with travelers opting for trips throughout the year instead of focusing on major holidays. As a result, the number of tourists on this National Day holiday is unlikely to experience a surge compared to regular days.

According to a survey conducted by VnExpress, tour prices for National Day holiday are inclined to rise by approximately 20% compared to regular days. However, this increase is not notably different from the same period in the previous year. For instance, a 6-day, 5 night tour to Japan is still priced at around VND38 million a person, or a 4-day, 3-night tour to beach city Nha Trang costs about VND4.1 million.

For international travel, tourists are favoring destinations that are nearby and moderately priced (under VND15 million). Many agencies have reported full bookings for tours to Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore during this period.

China is also a popular destination due to its newly reopen program with competitive prices, and easy visa application process. Pham Phuong Anh, vice general director of Du Lịch Viet said the agency hosts two to four tourist groups to China per week, amounting to 100 people, and five groups on Sept. 2.

Additionally, tours to South Korea are experiencing a resurgence due to simplified visa application procedures and reasonable cost (around VND20 million a person), while trips to Japan with higher costs (about VND40 million a person), tend to be more selective.

For domestic travel, Vietluxtour suggested that Phu Quoc Island might not witness the same level of demand as the previous year but would still contribute to the market, along with destinations like Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and the East and Northwest regions, as autumn is a favourable season for exploring these localities.

Travel companies have witnessed bookings for tours and travel services on Sept. 2 reaching 65-80% of their projected targets.

After the National Day holiday, the tourism industry is set to enter a quieter season, but there will be unique travel experiences for autumn and winter and operators have already prepared for this phase.

In addition to traditional autumn tours such as visiting the harvest season in the northern mountainous regions, buckwheat flower tour in Ha Giang and or visiting North Asia and Europe during fall, BenThanh Tourist has opened tours to new destinations such as South America, Egypt and Finland, offering more options to customers.

Meanwhile, Vietluxtour has high expectations for European and American tour packages and projects a 15% increase in visitors compared to the summer. The company spokesperson noted that the year's end showcases these destinations at their most captivating, with numerous festivals enhancing the appeal.