Bustling tourism market counts on coming Lunar New Year holiday

However, the number of domestic tourists has yet to meet expectations despite rising demand, said Nguyen Cong Hoan, general director of Hanoi-based Flamingo Redtours travel company.

Travel demand for the upcoming Tet holiday in early February next year is anticipated to be very strong, he said, adding that the company has been developing products and services for the holiday since early November.

Outbound trips to nearby destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, the Republic of Korea (RoK), and Japan have seen a strong rebound with a growth rate of 30% compared to the same period from 2023.

Vietnam is also expected to attract more and more tourists from Mongolia and other northern countries who view Vietnam as an ideal destination in which to avoid the cold, stated Hoan.

Meanwhile, Saigontourist, a leading travel firm in Vietnam, has offered a range of discount prices for holiday season bookings for both domestic and overseas tours.

Many people tend to choose to spend the New Year holiday in a foreign country during the one-week Tet holiday. Indeed, the most popular destinations are nearby nations with direct flights from Vietnam, such as Japan, the RoK, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, as well as countries further away, such as France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, said a representative of Saigontourist.

The number of tourists booking specially-designed tours overseas and the number of foreign travelers heading to Vietnam through Saigontourist has increased by some 50%, revealed the representative.

Besides, tour prices would rise by 5% to 15% compared to normal days due to higher airfare prices and soaring fuel prices, shared Tran Thi Bao Thu, communications director of Vietluxtour travel company.

The company has focused on communication and marketing activities both at home and abroad as part of efforts to lure tourists during the year-end period and the Tet holiday season.

Furthermore, the company will fully tap into historic and cultural heritage attractions across the country to ensure that unique tourism products are offered, thereby drawing more and more domestic and foreign travelers, she noted.

Workers will have seven consecutive days off, starting from the 29th of the last lunar month to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. This coincides with the peak-holiday season of travel companies which lasts from the 15th day of the last lunar month to the 15th of the Lunar New Year.

Vietnam aims to welcome 110 million tourist arrivals this year, including between 12-13 million foreigners this year. During the 10-month period the number of foreign arrivals hit nearly 10 million, and the figure is expected to increase sharply as Vietnam is now coming into the international tourism season.