Tourism needs a boost to take off.

In mid-July, the check-in area and waiting lounge at Tan Son Nhat domestic airport were quite empty despite being the peak summer tourist season. Minh Nhat (a resident of District 11, Ho Chi Minh City) said he had a business trip to Hanoi but was surprised to see the airport so deserted. "Two weeks ago, I went on a trip to Central Vietnam to participate in a running race and I also noticed there weren't as many tourists as last year," Nhat recounted.

The feelings between host and guest

In fact, according to observations by reporters from the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, during the two peak summer months, many domestic destinations recorded lower-than-expected tourist numbers, or even a decrease. For example, Phu Quoc Island ( Kien Giang province) is experiencing unprecedented difficulties. Throughout the island, tourist spots are almost devoid of the overcrowding seen in previous years. Even world-class resorts like Sunset Town and Hon Thom in the south, or VinWonders and Vinpearl in the north, do not show long queues of visitors.

Ms. Luong Thi Ngoan, owner of a popular restaurant in the center of Duong Dong ward, Phu Quoc city, said that the number of customers visiting her restaurant during peak tourist seasons is only about 30% compared to previous years.

"Even though I didn't incur rent costs, I still lost hundreds of millions of dong last month on employee salaries and raw material purchases. Businesses that rent premises suffered even heavier losses. In my decades of business, except for the COVID-19 pandemic, I've never faced such difficulties as this," she said sadly.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tong, a tourist from Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, said that during the summer vacation, he and his wife took their two grandchildren to Phu Quoc for a 4-day trip. Despite trying to save money, they still spent 20 million VND, including: 9 million VND for ferry fares, taxis, and budget hotels for 4 people for 4 days; 4 cable car tickets to visit Hon Thom Island at 450,000 VND each; 4 VinWonders tickets at 920,000 VND each; and then there were expenses for food, drinks, and other miscellaneous costs…

"I was a local tourist, just a ferry ride from Phu Quoc, traveling on a budget, not staying at a beachfront resort, yet I spent the entire rice harvest season's worth of money in just 4 days. The trip wasn't impressive either; I only visited some man-made structures and didn't get to experience any places with natural landscapes. I think that's a drawback of Phu Quoc tourism for domestic tourists because it's too expensive," Mr. Tong recounted.

A tourist attraction in Phu Quoc is quite deserted even during the peak summer tourist season. Photo: DUY NHAN

Many other destinations in the Mekong Delta are also experiencing equally sluggish business. Ut Trinh Homestay (located in Hoa Ninh commune, Long Ho district, Vinh Long province) is the first homestay in the Mekong Delta to meet ASEAN standards, meticulously invested in, combining traditional and modern elements.

Homestay guests have the opportunity to experience the authentic life of people in the Mekong Delta, from daily activities and food to typical activities such as cycling to explore the countryside, catching fish in canals, planting vegetables, cooking, visiting fruit orchards, and participating in farm work...

However, this summer, the establishment has recorded a decrease in the number of guests compared to the same period last year. "The number of guests has decreased by about 50% compared to before due to the difficult economic situation, people are spending less on travel," shared Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Trinh, owner of Ut Trinh Homestay.

In Quang Nam province, during the first six months of the year, the province attracted nearly 3.1 million international tourists (a 27% increase compared to the same period last year), but domestic tourists only reached 1.5 million (a modest increase of just 4%). At some popular tourist destinations such as Hoi An ancient town and My Son sanctuary, the number of visitors was quite high, but many businesses reported significant difficulties, as tourists mainly visited for sightseeing, with little shopping and limited spending.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Ha, Director of Gami Hoi An Theme Park Management Joint Stock Company, said that the tourism industry is currently on the path to recovery, but quite slowly, especially domestic tourists, which tend to decrease compared to last year.

The reason is probably the high cost of airfare, while cheaper flights are inconvenient (late at night). Given this reality, tourists tend to change their approach, opting for independent travel and visiting destinations within a relatively short radius, around 300 km or less.

Passengers are switching to traveling within the region.

In Da Nang City, many travel agencies and tourist attractions have reported that, despite being in the peak season, the number of visitors to Da Nang has not met expectations due to the impact of airfare prices. Domestic tourists mainly come from neighboring provinces and cities.

Representatives from Mikazuki Resort stated that the number of guests during this year's peak summer season was only 70%-80% of capacity, falling short of the expected 90%. The main reason is the high cost of airfare, so the resort primarily welcomes guests arriving by road or train from neighboring provinces from Nghe An to Binh Dinh.

Some tourist areas and destinations believe that the peak summer tourist season only has about a month left. After this period, the domestic tourism market will begin to slow down. Therefore, airfares need to be adjusted now to alleviate difficulties for the tourism industry.

Meanwhile, a report from the Binh Dinh Provincial Department of Tourism shows that in the first six months of 2024, the province welcomed over 5.6 million visitors, an increase of 106% compared to the same period in 2023, exceeding the annual plan (5.5 million visitors); revenue reached nearly 15,000 billion VND, an increase of 56.8%.

Mr. Tran Van Thanh, Director of the Department of Tourism of Binh Dinh province, said that compared to previous years, this is the first time the province has achieved a record number of visitors and revenue. The reason may be due to Binh Dinh successfully organizing a series of major events, such as: the 2024 Sports, Culture and Tourism Week; and summer tourism programs in 2024 such as the Aquabike World Championship, the F1H2O World Championship, and the 2024 Teqball World Championship… These events have attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists to Binh Dinh.

According to Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, Director of Marketing at Vietravel Tourism Company, the situation of some areas being crowded while others are deserted is a reality the tourism industry is currently facing. Vietravel is no exception; during the first six months of 2024, the number of domestic tourists at the company decreased slightly, partly due to the relatively high cost of airfare and partly due to the changing travel trends of tourists.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour Travel Service Company, said that domestic tourism this summer is divided into two markets. Besides all-inclusive tours, tourists tend to choose free & easy tours, optional tours (designed according to the specific requirements of the group), and book individual services (hotels, air tickets, car rentals...). The destinations favored by domestic tourists departing from Ho Chi Minh City are also nearby destinations such as Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Phu Yen, and Da Nang...

According to Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Travel Company, although the overall domestic tourism market figures at the company still show growth compared to the same period last year, there has been a shift in demand for specific routes, destinations, and transportation options. The demand for train travel has increased significantly recently, especially from young tourists and families.

Destinations from Ho Chi Minh City such as Ninh Chu and Nha Trang, and from Hanoi such as Quang Binh and Sa Pa, are experiencing high demand, increasing by over 30% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, longer routes requiring air travel, such as Nha Trang and Phu Quoc, have seen a decrease of over 50% compared to the same period. Tourists from the North are shifting to trains as their primary mode of transportation, but only to Hue and Da Nang, avoiding the South or the Central Highlands. These figures reflect the significant impact of rising airfares and reduced tourist spending on these destinations.

The demand for independent travel is increasing.

In 2023-2024, a series of new expressways were put into operation, giving families and those with private vehicles more options, such as traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang via the Cam Lam - Vinh Hao expressway in just over 5 hours, or from Hanoi to Vinh in only 3-5 hours thanks to the Dien Chau - Bai Vot expressway...

This summer, many travel companies have reported a significant increase in family groups booking private domestic travel services such as hotels and car rentals compared to the same period last year. The demand for independent, personal travel experiences has been boosted by several favorable factors, including advancements in travel technology and the development of highway networks. In return, businesses have shifted their focus to offering more services such as individual flight tickets and hotel reservations, providing more flexible choices for travelers.

(To be continued)

Source: https://nld.com.vn/du-lich-can-cu-hich-de-bat-len-196240731202131376.htm