Bookings for Tet tours on the rise

Vu Hai Sam, Deputy Director of the Domestic Tourism Division at Saigontourist Travel Services Co., Ltd., said that tours to northern localities, ranging from VND9-15 million (US$366-610), have been attractive to visitors.

Besides, road trips departing from Ho Chi Minh city to explore such destinations as Bao Loc, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Buon Ma Thuot, and Mang Den 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 (2nd right) explains to foreign tourists who have arrived in Vietnam on cruise Spectrum of the Seas that docked Nha Trang sea port on January 4 (Photo courtesy of Saigontourist)

During the peak Tet 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 Nguyen Minh Man, 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 Tet holiday, Ho Chi Minh 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 VND13 trillion in tourism revenue in January, up 57 per cent year-on-year, according to the municipal tourism authority.

Tan Son Nhat 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.

TB (according to VNS)