Where to go and what to do on National Day?

Scattered early holidays

As one of the first visitors to join the vibrant atmosphere on the opening day of the "Golden Harvest Festival of Ban May" on the summit of Fansipan (Sa Pa, Lao Cai ), Ms. Quynh Lan, a tourist from Hoa Binh, excitedly shared: "Ban May is amazing, overflowing with the shimmering golden color of rice and paddy, everywhere is adorned with flags and flowers welcoming National Day on September 2nd. This is the first time I've experienced such a unique festival. The ethnic people are truly enthusiastic and hospitable."

Da Nang is organizing a series of cultural and entertainment events to serve tourists during the National Day holiday.

Ms. Lan is not among the few tourists who went to Sa Pa for the early holiday. From mid-August until now, the summit of Fansipan has welcomed thousands of tourists every day to celebrate the most beautiful golden rice harvest season of the year. Until September 1st, every weekend in Ban May, a festival celebrating the rice harvest takes place, such as the Then Kin Pang festival of the Thai ethnic group held on August 24-25, and the New Rice Festival of the Ban May ethnic groups (August 31 - September 1). Therefore, many families and tourists have taken advantage of the last days of summer to go to Sa Pa to immerse themselves in the simple yet joyful and happy atmosphere of the highland villages, and to have the rare opportunity to witness firsthand the solemn rituals of the highland ethnic people. "The kids will be going back to school in a few days, so let's just consider it a September 2nd holiday trip. During the holiday, we can stay home to prepare them for school and then go visit our grandparents nearby," said Ms. Quynh Lan.

Saigontourist Travel Company noted that the number of tourists during this year's September 2nd holiday did not increase dramatically, with customers choosing to spread their trips across multiple days rather than concentrating all their travel on the holiday. Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Director of Marketing and Communications at Saigontourist Travel, stated that for the September 2nd holiday tour packages, the company has already reached 88% of its expected capacity. The most popular tours include a 3-day trip to Phu Quoc, a 3-day tour of the Central provinces, a 4-day autumn tour of the North, and road tours to Phan Thiet, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Buon Ma Thuot – Pleiku – Kon Tum, and Can Tho – Ca Mau.

It's noteworthy that this year's September 2nd holiday coincides with the rice harvest season in Northwest Vietnam. Therefore, many tourists don't want to miss this special opportunity to admire the stunning natural landscape with its sprawling terraced rice fields.

For overseas tours, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are popular destinations. Saigontourist Travel has already reached its full capacity for long-distance tours. Australia and South Africa are the two most sought-after destinations, as these countries in the Southern Hemisphere are entering spring with many festivals and captivating scenery.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Communications at Vietluxtour travel company, assessed: Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the seasonality in tourism has decreased significantly. Both group and individual tourists tend to distribute their travel plans evenly throughout the year, no longer concentrating on one or two peak periods. In particular, the period from August to November, previously considered a low season for tourism, has in recent years been seen as an ideal time to plan a trip, as services are not overloaded, prices are good, the climate is cool and fresh, and the autumn scenery at some destinations is very beautiful.

As of August 22nd, the percentage of customers registering for tours during the September 2nd holiday has reached approximately 90% of Vietluxtour's target. Demand is not concentrated in the few main holiday days but is spread evenly before and during the holiday. Because it's considered a "last-minute break" for families before children return to school, families often prioritize all-inclusive tours, with a 3-4 day itinerary and reasonable costs for holiday trips.

Overseas tours remain popular.

Continuing the trend from the beginning of the year, travel companies have noted a higher number of bookings for overseas tours during this holiday season compared to domestic tours. At Vietluxtour, the ratio is approximately 60% - 40%, leaning towards overseas tours. Among these, the most popular destinations are Taiwan, China, South Korea, and Thailand. Newly re-emerging Southeast Asian tours such as Cambodia and Laos are also attracting customers due to their relatively short duration (4-5 days) and average prices. Autumn is an ideal time to explore Laos and Cambodia because of the cool weather and beautiful scenery.

Tourists experience a unique festival season on the summit of Fansipan.

For the domestic market, Vietluxtour focuses on attracting individual travelers and office workers in major cities during holidays with its free & easy product line and customized tours, concentrating on mid- to high-end 3-5 star resort needs, especially beach resorts such as Nha Trang, Phu Yen, Hue - Da Nang, and Con Dao…

According to Viet Travel Company, the difference in bookings between international and domestic tours is as high as 70% to 30%. The company's international tours are fully booked, and they have stopped accepting new bookings to prepare for tours departing continuously from August 26th until the end of the holiday on September 3rd. Mr. Pham Anh Vu, Deputy Director of Viet Travel Company, assessed that domestic tours, traveling by car and train, are selling slower than international tours due to simpler procedures, less paperwork required, and the habit of booking domestic tours later. However, the number of bookings increases as the holiday approaches.

“This year's four-day holiday is ideal for domestic tours and nearby destinations such as Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Buon Ma Thuot… departing from Ho Chi Minh City; and Thanh Hoa, Sa Pa, Moc Chau… Tours by plane, with good airfare prices such as routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, Ha Long; tours to admire the ripening rice fields on terraced fields in the East and Northwest…; or from Hanoi to the Mekong Delta provinces such as Chau Doc, Kien Giang; Hanoi to Quy Nhon… have been booked early by customers. Tours to nearby international markets such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, China, South Korea, Japan… are dominant thanks to their five-day itineraries that don't exceed the holiday period, as customers can choose to depart on night flights. Conversely, domestic night flights are attracting more individual travelers, independent travelers, and those returning home for the holidays… than the general tourist group,” Mr. Pham Anh Vu informed.

Although the number of domestic tour bookings through travel companies during the holiday season isn't exceptionally high, many destinations have made thorough preparations and are ready with unique programs. For example, Ho Chi Minh City is preparing for a spectacular fireworks display at the entrance to the Saigon River tunnel (Thu Duc City) and Dam Sen Cultural Park (District 11) on the evening of September 2nd. Simultaneously, the city is also organizing numerous cultural, artistic, and sporting activities, such as a music and dance performance on the evening of September 2nd at Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, and the Ho Chi Minh City traditional boat race on the Saigon River (Bach Dang Wharf area).

Similarly, Da Nang City is also planning a series of cultural and entertainment events to serve tourists during the National Day holiday. Among them, a notable event is the BRG Open Golf Championship Danang 2024, taking place from August 29-31, attracting 144 top golfers from Vietnam and internationally. Tourists visiting Da Nang during this period can also enjoy street cultural activities such as traditional folk singing, theatrical performances, street music, free movie screenings, two extreme sports shows, "Awaken River" and Vietnamese puppetry, along with nightly fireworks displays at Asia Park (Danang Downtown)...

Meanwhile, many tourists from the northern region are seeking out emerging destinations near the capital such as Ha Nam and Bac Ninh to experience a slower pace of life.

Ticket prices have increased, but tour prices remain stable.

During every holiday, the most talked-about topic among locals and tourists is still airfare. Data from the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority on airfares from Vietnamese airlines shows that prices during the September 2nd holiday increased by about 20% compared to normal days before the holiday. On the Hanoi – Ho Chi Minh City route, the highest price recorded was approximately 2.6 million VND/one-way, offered by Vietnam Airlines on August 30th during daytime hours, an 8% increase compared to the previous week (August 23rd). For the same flight time, Vietjet Air had a price of around 2.3 million VND/one-way, a 25% increase. On the Hanoi – Nha Trang route, airlines announced fares ranging from 2.4 to 3 million VND/one-way, an increase of about 24% compared to the week before the holiday… Airfares tend to increase, however, this is mainly seen on the beginning and end of the holiday period. During the middle of the holiday period, basic ticket prices remain relatively stable, staying at levels similar to those before the holiday.

Nevertheless, travel companies report that tour prices have not fluctuated significantly, only increasing slightly by about 5-10%, mainly due to various partnerships and promotions between airlines and travel agencies.

Previously considered the off-season for tourism, the period from August to November has become an ideal time to plan a trip in recent years, as services are not overloaded, prices are good, and the climate is cool and pleasant.

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu (Director of Communications, Vietluxtour Travel Company)

Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra acknowledged that the recent increase in airfares has reduced the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism, both in the domestic and inbound markets. Tourism companies have had to flexibly expand their products, such as implementing road and rail tours, expressways, combo packages, and individual services. To stimulate domestic tourism, this past summer, Saigontourist Travel Agency collaborated with Vietnam Airlines to develop a promotional product with flights departing after 9 PM daily to domestic tourist destinations such as Da Nang, Phu Quoc, and Nha Trang, offering 3-day/2-night or 4-day/3-night itineraries with airfares reduced by over 50% and a free first hotel night. This product line has contributed to increased demand for air travel this summer until August 31st.

Mr. Pham Anh Vu commented: In the context of rising airfares and the impact on travel demand, the promotional programs in collaboration between airlines and hotels have proven very effective, attracting many individual travelers. However, deeper and broader collaboration is still needed to develop more suitable tourism products and programs.

Recently, the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Council proposed that accommodation establishments should adopt flexible check-in and check-out policies, instead of the current rigid system of check-in after 2 PM and check-out before 11 AM. If implemented, this would allow customers to maximize their stay without being constrained by fixed check-in and check-out times. This would be particularly beneficial for customers with night flights or those with irregular schedules, allowing them to rest and relax without worrying about extra charges for late check-out. It would also be more practical and beneficial, saving money for guests while optimizing costs for hotels, thereby increasing the number of tourists using night flights. Businesses would then promote and attract tourists to services such as night flights and hotels with flexible hours. The number of tourists would increase significantly.

“In fact, a few years ago, there was a hotel system that applied the same check-in and check-out times as other hotels, thereby creating competition and attracting customers by successfully satisfying the needs of many tourists. Currently, this system has developed a very good number of hotels nationwide, partly due to this unique policy. However, to implement it effectively, clear cooperation regulations need to be established between hotels and travel companies to ensure that booking and managing check-in and check-out times are carried out synchronously and efficiently. Staff of travel companies and hotels need further training to understand and apply the policy flexibly and consistently, and to handle special situations,” a representative from Vietnam Tourism Company suggested.

There are more cheaper ticket options available for passengers.

Passengers traveling by air should book their tickets early through the airline's official channels to have more options for fares that suit their needs; they should also proactively monitor flight schedules and plan their travel time to airports to avoid congestion or inconvenience due to flight delays. In addition, depending on individual circumstances, passengers can also consider booking tickets on early or late-day flights to have more options for cheaper prices and the experience of flying at night with certain airlines. (Head of the Vietnam Civil Aviation Authority)

Let's work together to get a quality tour at a great price.

In the coming period, Saigontourist Group and Vietnam Airlines will continue to carefully analyze market demand and jointly commit to long-term promotion and business to ensure the effectiveness of two-way tourism. Rising airfares inadvertently create a mindset among tourists to wait for promotional campaigns and discounts at events and trade fairs to get better prices, which in the long run will have undesirable impacts on the tourism market.

For sustainable development, the tourism and aviation industries, as well as local destinations, need to establish a close, symbiotic partnership, sharing risks, harmonizing interests, and coordinating flexibly in product development (including new products, premium products, promotional products, products to stimulate demand, and products for diverse customer segments...). Without collaboration, the market will shift on its own, changing customer habits and behavior, and air travel routes will be negatively impacted.

Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra (Director of Marketing and Communications, Saigontourist Travel)

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/le-quoc-khanh-di-dau-choi-gi-185240824231754264.htm