This has fundamentally changed the travel behavior of Vietnamese people.

VTV.vn - The escalating price of airline tickets has inadvertently acted as a major catalyst, comprehensively restructuring how Vietnamese people prepare for and enjoy their holidays.

The recent long holiday saw a boom in domestic tourism, with millions of visitors flocking to key tourist destinations across the country. Behind the trillions of dong in revenue lies a paradox worth considering for the economic and transportation landscape: the number of domestic air passengers has significantly decreased compared to the same period last year. The core reason stems from the cost shock, with airfares remaining consistently high, thereby inadvertently creating a profound and comprehensive shift in the travel methods and booking habits of Vietnamese tourists.

During the holiday period from April 25th to May 3rd, Ninh Binh province is estimated to welcome 2.77 million visitors.

According to data from the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, during the Hung Kings Commemoration Day and April 30th - May 1st holidays, the national tourism industry is estimated to have served approximately 12 million visitors, marking a growth of 14.2% compared to the same period last year. Most key tourist destinations recorded extremely positive results. For example, Ninh Binh led with over 2.37 million visitors, Ho Chi Minh City is estimated to have welcomed 1.69 million visitors with total revenue reaching the highest level nationwide at approximately 8,700 billion VND, while Da Nang and Khanh Hoa also recorded millions of visitors.

Rising airfare prices are causing many passengers to think carefully before booking tickets.

However, the boom in the tourism industry has not been accompanied by the growth of domestic aviation. Statistics from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority show that the total number of air passengers reached 1.68 million, an increase of 2.2%, but this growth came entirely from international routes. Notably, the number of domestic passengers decreased by 7.5%, reaching 675,140. The main reason cited is the escalating global airfare prices due to conflicts in the Middle East, pushing domestic flight costs to record highs and directly influencing customer decisions. Faced with the barrier of excessively high travel costs, a significant number of passengers have abandoned air travel in search of alternative solutions.

Vietnamese tourists' consumer behavior has immediately shifted towards more economical modes of transportation such as private cars, high-quality buses, or trains. This shift is particularly strong thanks to the significantly improved road infrastructure. The opening of numerous new expressways has shortened travel times, contributing to enhanced inter-regional connectivity. The railway sector has also quickly seized the opportunity by proactively increasing services on many key routes, flexibly adjusting ticket prices by approximately 3%, and launching promotional programs to attract the huge number of passengers shifting from air travel to road and rail transport.

The consequences of rising airfares have not only changed modes of transportation but also completely reshaped the travel consumption philosophy of Vietnamese people, ending the mentality of traveling at any cost. Today's customers are more pragmatic and calculating in their budget allocation decisions. Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Communications at Vietluxtour Travel Company, commented on this change: "Customers still have a need to travel, but they no longer book with a 'at any cost' mentality. They carefully consider the itinerary, costs, service quality, and suitability for their vacation."

Tourists choose to personalize their vacations.

Financial caution has fueled a strong demand for independent travel and personalized experiences, putting significant pressure on traditional travel agencies. Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Deputy General Director of VinaGroup Travel, shared the market situation: "Long holidays are becoming a 'golden opportunity' for service providers to increase quantity and improve quality... With high visitor numbers and crowded popular or beach destinations, 60-70% of travelers are independent. They don't opt ​​for package tours but book their own flights, hotel rooms, and services at their destinations."

Simultaneously, tourists are shifting from a mindset of traveling based on trends to one based on actual needs and desires. Mr. Nguyen Tran Hoang Phuong, Director of Golden Smile Travel, emphasized that the travel trend is moving from "traveling for leisure" to "traveling for needs," especially prioritizing short vacations with highly personalized experiences. Slow travel models and short stays in tranquil natural spaces are gradually replacing traditional packed sightseeing itineraries.

New consumer behavior is also clearly reflected in the strategy of hunting for deals and the trend of waiting for "double dates" to finalize services. Pressure from transportation costs has led Vietnamese tourists to no longer book on impulse, but instead to proactively plan in order to control financial risks.

Data from the Traveloka platform shows that consumer habits are changing, particularly focusing on monthly mega-promotion events to hunt for the best prices. Commenting on this trend, Alex Jung, Marketing Director of Traveloka, analyzed: "Our users show a tendency to plan their trips around auspicious dates, and we want to accompany them during those times."

Travel is now approached similarly to an e-commerce purchase decision, requiring careful consideration of value for money and timing of purchase. Capitalizing on this trend and aiming to stimulate demand amidst persistently high airfares, online platforms are launching a series of large-scale campaigns.

Since the beginning of May, major discount programs such as Trip.com's 5.5 Super Sale and Traveloka's 5.5 EPIC Sale have offered travelers discounts of up to 50% on accommodation costs, flash sales during peak hours, and a range of discounted air tickets. Early booking is also gaining popularity through limited-time programs, helping users avoid price surges during peak season while supporting businesses in optimizing their operations.

The total number of air passengers transported reached 1.68 million during the April 30th - May 1st holiday period.

Facing the risk of losing market share to ground-based transportation, airlines themselves have been forced to launch aggressive promotional campaigns. For example, Vietjet Air has implemented a massive promotion with 1 million tickets discounted by up to 100% (excluding taxes and fees) and 10 million tickets discounted by 30% to attract passengers during the upcoming summer season. This is considered a commendable effort by airlines to share the financial burden with consumers and encourage passengers to return to domestic routes.

In the context of a challenging economic environment, diversifying inter-regional transportation networks and implementing flexible pricing policies will be key to the sustainable growth of businesses in line with new consumer trends.

It's clear that the escalating price of airfare has inadvertently acted as a major catalyst, comprehensively restructuring how Vietnamese people prepare for and enjoy their holidays. From shifting to road and rail transport, abandoning package deals in favor of independent, cost-controlled travel, to patiently hunting for online promotions, all demonstrate the flexibility of an increasingly savvy generation of consumers.

Source: https://vtv.vn/cu-hich-thay-doi-toan-dien-hanh-vi-du-lich-cua-nguoi-viet-100260519145755824.htm