Late-season travel during the hot weather?

Summer fevers are rare, but holiday fevers are hard to come by?

"Are you going anywhere this holiday?" - "I was planning to go somewhere at first, but my husband just got a pay cut, so I guess we'll have to skip it. We already went to Hue last month." - "It's the same for my family. We were planning to go to China at first, but then we changed our minds and decided to save up for Tet instead."

A conversation between two office workers at a cafe in District 3 (Ho Chi Minh City) reflects the shared sentiment of many families when discussing their plans for the upcoming September 2nd holiday. This year's holiday lasts four days, ideal for a relaxing getaway to domestic tourist destinations or nearby countries in Southeast Asia, but family travel demand remains low. This is also reflected in the business performance of travel agencies.

During the September 2nd holiday, the number of passengers traveling through the new Eastern Bus Station is expected to increase by 70% compared to normal days.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing at TST Tourist, said that so far the company has not recorded a strong or breakthrough increase in tour bookings. Like other travel businesses, TST Tourist has prepared many programs with attractive destinations, but does not expect too much from the number of customers during the September 2nd holiday because families have just had a long summer vacation. Currently, it is the end of summer, students are starting to return to school, and most people are focusing on preparing for their children's enrollment, so the number of family tour bookings has suddenly stopped. In addition, customer demand depends on many factors such as service prices, tour prices, and financial capacity.

After the first six months of the year, the economic picture has not changed much. Businesses are struggling, leading to reduced income and even job losses for workers. Therefore, many families will tighten their belts instead of spending freely as before.

"Currently, it's the rainy season in Southern Vietnam, so the most popular tourist destinations are those that offer protection from rain, storms, and landslides. Customers booking tours are focusing on coastal areas such as Ha Long, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, and Phu Quoc… However, no destination stands out significantly. Neither domestic nor international destinations have any standout features for the upcoming September 2nd holiday," Mr. Nguyen Minh Man informed.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour Travel, assessed that the September 2nd holiday is a "last-minute break" for many families before the new school year begins, so the number of tourists is not overly crowded. Transportation, restaurants, hotels, etc., are quite stable in terms of both price and ticket availability, and there is a possibility that tours on both domestic and international routes will not be as "feverish" as in previous years. Moreover, international tours are still taking away some of the domestic market share. The number of tours departing and destinations is very diverse, especially in Northeast Asian routes such as China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong… or popular Southeast Asian routes such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Bali (Indonesia)… which have an advantage in terms of price and constantly changing destinations. As for European and American routes… they are likely to continue to increase by about 10-15% compared to the summer because the most beautiful season of the year – autumn and the year-end holiday season – has begun.

"We still predict that the company's total customer volume this year will increase by 20-25%. The company has been preparing its business plan for this holiday season since the second quarter, and has now reached about 65% of the projected target. However, Vietluxtour has also made quite long-term predictions and preparations for the autumn-winter season and the Lunar New Year because after the lockdown periods due to the Covid-19 pandemic, customer demand has changed significantly. The characteristics of peak and off-peak seasons are no longer as distinct, and tourists plan their trips regularly, taking advantage of less busy periods such as weekdays, and periods before or after major holidays...", Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu informed.

During the September 2nd holiday, the number of road passengers is expected to increase significantly compared to normal days.

Plenty of airline tickets available at affordable prices.

The sluggish demand for tourism has led to a less vibrant transportation market, especially in the aviation sector.

According to airline websites, there are still many flights to popular tourist destinations during the September 2nd holiday, and ticket prices haven't fluctuated much. For example, a Ho Chi Minh City - Da Nang flight departing on August 31st and returning on September 3rd (the two busiest days) with Vietravel Airlines costs only about 1.5 million VND/one-way, similar to Vietjet's fare. On the same day and route, Bamboo Airways flights range from 1.4 to 1.9 million VND/ticket. Vietnam Airlines has the highest prices, but none of its flights exceed 2.1 million VND/one-way.

Some morning flights are as low as 1.5 million VND/one-way. Many airlines still have tickets available throughout the day. Families who can arrange their time and leave or return a day earlier than the peak season can choose from many time slots with ticket prices ranging from 800,000 to 1.3 million VND/one-way. Although the number of flights from Hanoi to Phu Quoc is lower, the ticket prices are surprisingly cheap. Even if you choose to travel on the peak day (August 31st), the most expensive Vietjet ticket is only 1.3 million VND/one-way, while the cheapest flight is just over 970,000 VND/one-way.

Bamboo Airways flights also don't have tickets priced above 1.8 million VND. Morning flights have tickets costing less than 1.5 million VND/one way. Vietnam Airlines doesn't have any flights priced above 1.9 million VND/one way. Just by departing one day earlier, all airlines have a wide range of cheap tickets costing only a few tens of thousands of VND, plus taxes and fees, making the total price from Hanoi to Phu Quoc less than 800,000 VND/one way.

Tickets for the Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi route remain quite expensive. If flying on August 31st, Vietravel Airlines tickets cost nearly 3 million VND/one-way, the most expensive on the Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi route; exceeding the nearly 1.8 million VND of most flights from Pacific Airlines and Vietjet, or the 2.1 million VND/one-way of Bamboo Airways. Vietnam Airlines flights on the same day also did not exceed 2.6 million VND/one-way. On September 1st, Vietjet Air is offering tickets at 1.62 million VND/one-way, equivalent to the price of this route on August 29th…

According to a representative from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority, the demand for transportation during this year's September 2nd holiday period did not increase compared to the same period in 2022. Statistical data indicates that the total number of flights scheduled by airlines during the peak period (August 31st - September 5th) is over 5,300, offering a total of 1.06 million seats, an increase of approximately 20% compared to the normal period and a slight decrease of 3% compared to the same period in 2022.

To date, a survey of airfare prices on Vietnamese airlines' ticketing websites during the holiday period shows that airfares remain stable, both on main routes and tourist routes, with little difference compared to the peak summer season. Airfares tend to increase on the first day of the holiday for outbound flights and the last day for return flights. However, airlines are selling domestic air tickets according to regulated price frameworks.

"According to consolidated reports from airlines, as of August 18th, the occupancy rate during the September 2nd holiday period on both main routes and tourist routes remains low, with ample remaining seats. Specifically, on main routes between Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, the occupancy rate is only 30-40%. For tourist routes, except for the routes from Hanoi to Phu Quoc, Binh Dinh, and Con Dao, or the route from Ho Chi Minh City to Binh Dinh, which have booking rates above 40%, other routes are at low levels, ranging from 25% to under 40%. Despite this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam continues to coordinate with airlines, monitor and assess market demand to plan for increased flights and promptly meet passenger travel needs during this holiday," said a leader of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

Does aviation provide heat dissipation for ships and vehicles?

In contrast to air travel, road transport promises a bustling National Day holiday on September 2nd. According to representatives of the new Eastern Bus Station, the number of passengers traveling through the new station is expected to increase by 70% compared to normal days. Passengers will mainly travel on routes from Ho Chi Minh City to provinces from Da Nang southward and vice versa. The highest number of passengers is expected on August 31st, reaching 7,700 people.

Mr. Tran Van Phuong, Deputy Director of the Western Bus Station, also predicted a 119% increase in passenger traffic during this period compared to normal days. Specifically, on August 31st, the station is expected to serve approximately 48,000 passengers, increasing to around 54,000 on September 1st, and gradually decreasing from September 2nd to 4th. Compared to the same holiday period last year, the number of passengers traveling through the Western Bus Station is forecast to increase by 20%. Regarding ticket prices, the operators will maintain the principle of adding a surcharge on September 1st and 2nd, but not exceeding 40% of the normal price.

In the northern region, a 200% increase in passenger traffic at Hanoi bus stations is predicted during the September 2nd holiday. Hanoi Bus Station Joint Stock Company anticipates a significant increase in passenger numbers from the evening of August 31st until the end of September 5th. Several routes will see a sharp increase in passenger volume, including those to Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh, Thanh Hoa, Thai Binh, Lao Cai, and Son La.

Similarly, the railway industry has become bustling as many people rush to book train tickets early. Passenger traffic before and after the holiday is predicted to increase compared to normal days. According to surveys, many trains to tourist destinations in central provinces and cities such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Phu Yen… have a high booking rate. Some routes departing on the first peak day (August 31st) even have almost sold out of sleeper tickets, with only a few seated tickets remaining. Recognizing the high demand, Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company has planned to operate additional trains from Ho Chi Minh City to Quy Nhon and will continue to sell tickets for other additional trains from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Da Nang, Hanoi…

"Besides the need to return home to visit relatives, more and more families are choosing trains for travel. The rate of selling entire train carriages to groups is growing well. If they don't have a very long vacation, they consider the time on the train as an experience in their journey. This may also be partly due to the fact that airfares are usually higher during peak season, and in the context of a difficult economy, people will switch to other, more affordable methods. The railway industry is striving to further improve quality and service, while also running many promotional programs to capitalize on this trend and stimulate tourism," a representative of Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company shared.

Service revenue increased sharply during the peak summer tourist season of 2023.

According to the General Statistics Office, June and July are peak months of the summer tourist season, so revenue from accommodation, food and beverage services and travel and tourism increased significantly compared to previous months. In July alone, nationwide revenue from accommodation, food and beverage services and travel and tourism was estimated at 60,000 billion VND, an increase of 4.9% compared to the previous month and 5.7% compared to the same period in 2022. For the first seven months of the year, total revenue from accommodation, food and beverage services and travel and tourism reached 395,800 billion VND, an increase of 17.7% compared to the same period last year; of which accommodation and food services increased by 16.3% and travel and tourism increased by 53.6%.

Be wary of unusually cheap travel services.

The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued several recommendations for tourists during the September 2nd holiday. Accordingly, tourists should carefully research information about tour packages, especially those with unusually low prices. They should choose tourism service providers that meet all legal requirements. After finding a reputable provider, tourists should proactively verify the information in the tour contract (booking confirmation, quality, service price, duration, tour program, tour guide, facilities of the accommodation...). Tourists can proactively find information about tourism service providers and individuals on the website of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism warns of discriminatory behavior by some establishments, such as competing for tourists and pressuring them to buy goods and services. Tourists should also be wary of advertisements that misrepresent the type and category of accommodation establishments recognized by competent state agencies, or advertisements for types and categories of accommodation establishments that have not yet been recognized by competent state agencies.

The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee headquarters will be open to visitors on the occasion of the September 2nd holiday.

According to information from the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Office, the headquarters of the City People's Council and People's Committee will continue to welcome visitors on September 2nd (expected on September 1st and 2nd). The plan to organize tours for visitors to the headquarters of the City People's Council and People's Committee at 86 Le Thanh Ton Street (District 1), a national-level architectural and artistic heritage site, was agreed upon by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Office and the Department of Tourism. The relevant units are also developing a plan to open the building regularly for residents and tourists on the last Saturday and Sunday of each month.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/du-lich-le-nong-muon-185230820002416363.htm