Travel fever to Hanoi to watch the parade

Hanoi attracts record number of visitors thanks to parade celebrating 80th National Day. Airfares, hotel rooms skyrocket; airlines, airports run at full capacity.

Young people excitedly take photos to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day September 2 - Photo: NGUYEN HIEN

During the four-day holiday of September 2 this year, instead of flocking to the beach or the countryside, a wave of tourists from all over the country chose to head to Hanoi , where the parade, march, and series of activities to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, September 2, took place.

Airline tickets "hot" with Tet

This "fever" not only pushed Hanoi to the top of the list of destination searches but also made the market for airline tickets, hotel rooms and tours hotter than ever.

A survey on the official websites of Vietnam Airlines , Vietjet, and Bamboo Airways showed that round-trip ticket prices for the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route during peak days from August 30 to September 2 ranged from 4.3 to 7 million VND, equivalent to or higher than during the Lunar New Year.

Vietnam Airlines sells tickets for 5 - 6.8 million VND, Vietjet 4 - 5.4 million, Bamboo Airways about 6.8 million VND. Compared to normal days, this price is 2 - 3 times higher. Not only from Ho Chi Minh City, ticket prices from other big cities have also increased sharply. For example, the round-trip ticket price for Da Nang - Hanoi is 2.5 - 4 million VND, Nha Trang - Hanoi is more than 4.4 million VND, Phu Quoc - Hanoi is about 3 to 5 million VND.

Other flights such as Hanoi - Da Nang, Hanoi - Nha Trang, Hanoi - Phu Quoc or Ho Chi Minh City - Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang... also recorded significant increases, many flights up to 5 - 7 million VND/round trip.

Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hang (living in Binh Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that she booked round-trip tickets for her whole family in mid-June for more than 4.5 million VND/person. "This year, Hanoi has a parade, so I want to take my children to see it. If I wait until the day to buy, I probably won't be able to afford the price," Ms. Hang explained further.

Some other passengers said that to save money, some people chose to fly to Hai Phong or Thanh Hoa and then take a car to Hanoi. The difference is a few million VND but it takes 2-3 more hours to travel.

"In June, I planned to take my children to Hanoi for a summer vacation, but when I heard that there would be a military parade on September 2, my whole family postponed it. At that time, the ticket was only nearly 4 million VND/person, now it costs 6.5 million VND. A family of 4, the plane ticket alone cost more than 26 million VND" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoang (residing in Tan Dinh ward, Ho Chi Minh City) told about her family's case.

The family of Mr. Nguyen Van Thien, in Xuan Hoa ward, Ho Chi Minh City even "turned around" from the 40 million VND Thailand tour to Hanoi, accepting a total cost of nearly 60 million VND. "It only happens once in 80 years, I want the whole family to have a special vacation" - Mr. Thien shared.

To meet demand, airlines have increased frequencies, adding more than 3,300 seats to the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route, equivalent to an 18 - 20% increase in capacity. However, good time slots and low fares are scarce.

Hotels in the center of Hanoi are busy preparing to welcome tourists to the capital on the occasion of September 2 - Photo: NGUYEN HIEN

Hotels are fully booked, tours are sold out.

Booking.com data shows that Hanoi has risen from 7th place last year to number 1 in the search for destinations on September 2. Room rates for 3-5 star hotels have increased by 20-40%, ranging from 1.5-4 million VND/night but are still fully booked. Meanwhile, mid-range room rates booked in August have increased to 1.8 million VND/night for a room with 2 double beds.

In Ho Chi Minh City, to meet the needs of tourists, travel companies have launched a series of tours "following" the festival, combining watching the parade with visiting Ninh Binh, Ha Long, Sa Pa... Vietravel, Saigontourist, Vietluxtour, BenThanh Tourist all recorded a 25 - 30% increase in tour bookings compared to last year, with many itineraries fully booked since early August.

A representative of Vietluxtour said that as of August 15, the company recorded that customer demand was still high, although airfares and hotel room prices in Hanoi had increased during this time. "The number of bookings and hotel rooms from customers increased by nearly 30% compared to the same period last year, especially for flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, similar to hotel rooms in central Hanoi," he said.

The company recommends that to optimize ticket prices and experiences when arriving in Hanoi during the holidays, passengers should plan their trip early, book tickets early and proactively arrange their means of transportation. This will help passengers avoid missing flights, which will affect their enjoyable journey.

Regarding accommodation during the parades and marches, to avoid "bitter" situations when booking hotels on booking platforms, or booking hotels online, or even buying tours online, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Duong, a tourism expert, recommends that tourists carefully check hotel information, comparing between reality and on the platforms.

"When buying a tour online, tourists need to carefully check the tour seller, go to official websites to check before transferring money to buy the tour. Before tourists come to the capital, they need to know the phone number of the place that receives feedback on tourism services and accommodation to promptly handle any risky situations," the tourism expert noted.

Tighten ticket prices, increase trips to serve peak season 2-9

The Civil Aviation Authority has just asked airlines to closely monitor bookings and add flights on "hot" routes to and from Hanoi before and after the September 2 holiday, especially during the parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day.

This agency requires airlines to keep prices within the prescribed range, strictly control prices sold through agents to avoid "pushing" tickets too much; at the same time, coordinate with the tourism industry to launch stimulus packages for tickets and tours associated with the festival, helping customers have more options.

Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat airports are required to increase human resources and equipment, ensure security and safety, and reduce congestion. Vietnam Air Traffic Management Corporation operates flexibly to meet the sudden increase in flights.

Noi Bai Airport is straining to welcome a record number of passengers.

Noi Bai International Airport forecasts a surge in holiday traffic, with international arrivals reaching nearly 44,000 per day - the highest ever. The peak day is expected to see nearly 110,000 passengers and 638 flights, an increase of about 20% over the same period in 2024.

Mr. To Tu Ha - Director of Noi Bai International Airport - said that many plans have been implemented to maintain 24/7 duty at the operation coordination center, transfer aircraft to park overnight at neighboring airports, and refuel to cope with situations where flights have to wait.

Hanoi not only welcomes a "fever" of domestic tourists but also attracts strong international visitors, thanks to the expanded flight network and the attraction of the festival. All of this signals a bustling and special September 2nd holiday when the capital becomes the focus of the whole country and international tourists.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/con-sot-du-lich-den-ha-noi-xem-dieu-binh-20250815224515825.htm