Many resorts are fully booked for the April 30 holiday

Fully booked a month in advance

Worried about late bookings and high prices, in early April, Ms. Nguyen Tra My, an office worker in Hai Ba Trung District ( Hanoi ), made a list of resorts in the north to book rooms for the April 30 holiday. Ms. My's original plan was to go to Pu Luong (Thanh Hoa), then had to change direction to Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) and finally "finalized" a room reservation in Ninh Binh.

Tourists book tours at Vietnam International Travel Fair

Photo: T.Hang

"My family has elderly people and children, so I'm afraid of going to crowded tourist areas, which are both crowded and tiring, not to mention traffic jams, so I choose to go to tourist destinations less than 150 km from Hanoi. I thought I booked a month in advance, but unexpectedly, many people booked rooms even earlier than me. Even if there were any available rooms, they were only single rooms, not enough for the whole family," My shared.

Also because of hesitation, Ms. Luong Thuy Mai, an office worker in Dong Da District (Hanoi), missed the opportunity to book a room at a resort in Da Bac ( Hoa Binh ). "When I asked for a room, the resort staff said there were still enough 4 rooms available according to my family's request, priced at 3.3 million VND/room. Because the price was higher than usual, I considered it, asked everyone's opinion before deciding, but when I asked again the next day, someone else had already booked it," Ms. Mai said.

Mr. Tong Minh Long, an online booking collaborator in Cau Giay District (Hanoi), said that this year due to the long holiday schedule, the resort, villa, and homestay rooms in Soc Son, Ba Vi (Hanoi), Mai Chau, Luong Son, Da Bac (Hoa Binh) or Tam Dao, Dai Lai (Vinh Phuc) are fully booked a month in advance. To get a room, many people accept a price 5-10% higher than usual.

According to Mr. Long, room rates at resorts during this time range from 1.9 to 4.5 million VND/night. Some resorts sell combos including room and 2 meals for 4 to 5 million VND/room. "Since the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the holiday I have received the most phone calls and messages. Normally, during long holidays, families often travel to the beach or abroad, but this year, perhaps due to economic difficulties and expensive airfares, many people choose to go to mid-range resorts in the north," said Mr. Long.

Ms. Tran Hong Minh, owner of Ke Retreat Resort (Da Bac District, Hoa Binh), said: "Since March, many guests have booked rooms for the holidays. On the occasion of the recent Hung Kings' Death Anniversary, we had to turn away many guests. As for the occasion of April 30, the rooms are almost fully booked from April 29 to May 3. The same is true of the surrounding resorts. Compared to going to the beach, the service prices in Da Bac area are slightly higher, but many family guests choose it because it has a separate, airy space. When it's hot, guests can swim in the lake or take a boat on Hoa Binh Lake."

Confirm service before trip

Commenting on the tourism market during the April 30 holiday this year, Mr. Le Cong Nang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of WonderTour International Travel Joint Stock Company, assessed that tourism demand continues to increase after a long period of gloom. According to statistics from accommodation establishments, not only in the North, but many famous destinations in the Central and Southern regions are also "full of rooms", especially those with good facilities and reasonable prices.

"The fact that many northern resorts are sold out is mainly due to travel agencies distributing rooms with plans to sell them early. In addition, the number of family guests actively searching for accommodation on e-commerce platforms is increasingly popular, leading to many locations running out of rooms early," Mr. Nang pointed out.

However, Mr. Nang also said that it is impossible to rule out the possibility that some businesses with low occupancy rates may report running out of rooms to redirect customers to other options.

"To avoid risks, tourists need to be careful when deciding to book a room, and should look for accommodations that suit their family's needs, paying special attention to amenities for both adults and children as well as convenient means of transportation. More importantly, they should book services through reputable travel agencies and avoid paying directly through staff accounts to minimize the risk of fraud and fake bookings," Mr. Nang noted.

Regarding the choice of destination for this vacation, Mr. Nang emphasized that each type of accommodation has different costs, even within the same type, there are many room categories with diverse prices. To optimize costs, choosing a package tour from reputable travel agencies is a smart choice, as they have pre-booked 3-star standard services at competitive prices.

For families who love independent travel, Mr. Nang recommends confirming accommodation services before the trip, especially during peak times such as the April 30 holiday.

Mr. Hoang Hau Duong, Director of Continental Vietnam Company, commented that after a long winter, the April 30 holiday is the beginning of a bustling beach tourism season. Therefore, beaches in the North and Central regions such as Cua Lo (Nghe An), Sam Son (Thanh Hoa), Cat Ba (Hai Phong), Ha Long (Quang Ninh) ... are also ideal destinations for families this summer. Currently, the highways to the beaches are all developed, the travel time to the above locations by private car is only 2 - 4 hours.

In addition to the above destinations, Mr. Duong suggests that tourists can also refer to some homestays in Nam Dinh, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen... These destinations not only provide a relaxing space but are also close to nature, suitable for families who want to enjoy a vacation in fresh and cool air.

Opportunity to hunt for cheap tours at tourism fair

From April 10 to 13, at the ICE International Exhibition Center (Vietnam - Soviet Union Friendship Cultural Palace, Hanoi), the Vietnam International Tourism Fair (VITM Hanoi 2025) will take place.

This year's fair brings together more than 450 booths, nearly 600 businesses, 60 tourism promotion agencies, 8 airlines and representatives from 16 countries and territories.

Visitors will experience green tourism products, super preferential tours, artificial intelligence (AI) technology applied in tourism and many commercial activities...

In particular, at the fair, businesses offered tens of thousands of airline tickets, tours, travel combos, and hotel rooms at preferential prices with discounts of up to 10 million VND, along with many attractive gifts.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhieu-khu-nghi-duong-da-chay-phong-dip-le-304-185250410184122601.htm