Travel combo trends

Nowadays, tourists (especially young people) visiting Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa often choose travel packages (basic service packages including: round-trip airfare, hotel rooms, etc.) instead of all-inclusive tours. Affordable prices and flexible itineraries are attractive features of travel packages that tourists cannot ignore.

Last weekend, Ms. Nguyen Quynh Trang's family (from Hanoi ) enjoyed a 3-day, 2-night vacation in Nha Trang. Instead of booking a tour, Ms. Trang researched and chose a travel package including airfare and The Empyrean hotel through a travel company in Khanh Hoa. After checking in, instead of following a tour, her family relaxed by swimming in the sea and enjoying seafood on the southern embankment of the Cai River. The next day, she planned a mud bath at I-resort Nha Trang and visited historical sites and attractions such as the Ponagar Tower, the Cathedral, and the Oceanographic Museum. After checking out, her family even received a complimentary transfer to the airport.

Tourists are relaxing at Alma Resort (Bai Dai area, Cam Lam district).

The trend of booking travel packages began to flourish after the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, tourists prioritized group trips that offered privacy, safety, and guaranteed service quality, choosing travel packages instead of all-inclusive tours, which carried more risks of disease transmission due to contact with strangers. This trend has become increasingly popular, especially among young people who prefer the freedom to explore destinations. Over the past two years, many domestic tourists vacationing in Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa have chosen to purchase travel packages instead of all-inclusive tours as they did before the Covid-19 pandemic. Responding to this demand, travel companies have launched various package deals, the most popular being two main types: flights and hotels; and flights, hotels, and sightseeing tickets. Besides travel agencies, many resorts also partner with airlines to launch travel packages that include: airfare, accommodation, and transportation services.

According to Ms. Nguyen Quynh Mai, Director of Vinh Hai Travel Trading and Service Company Limited, with the development of information technology, tourists, especially young people, can easily find information about tourist attractions without necessarily needing a tour guide. Instead, they prefer to explore freely. However, booking individual services takes time to research and is more expensive than booking combos from travel companies (which offer lower prices because companies buy in bulk). Therefore, purchasing a travel combo is the optimal choice. Travel combos often include other benefits such as free transfers and access to certain hotel services, making them popular. With a travel combo, customers only need to ensure their travel time upon arrival and departure; throughout the trip, they can independently arrange their schedule to visit and experience services according to their preferences.

Not only domestic tourists, but also international visitors from South Korea, China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, etc., are increasingly opting for travel packages instead of full-package tours in Khanh Hoa, especially those staying for extended periods. Mr. Le Thanh Trung, Director of Good Day Nha Trang Tour Co., Ltd., stated that many South Korean tourists visiting Nha Trang have opted for travel packages instead of full-package tours. To facilitate tourists, travel agencies specializing in serving the South Korean market now offer both full-package and package deals for customers to choose from. Conversely, some Vietnamese tourists traveling to South Korea also choose to buy packages instead of full-package tours as they did before. “I noticed that tours to South Korea allocate a lot of time for shopping. Therefore, I only buy packages instead of full-package tours. This way, I have more time to explore destinations in the land of kimchi,” shared Ms. Tran Hoai Thuong, an experienced international traveler.

Tourists stroll along the beach at Radisson Blu Resort Cam Ranh.

Despite their many advantages, travel packages also have limitations, such as: customers have to handle many procedures at their destination themselves without a tour guide; they have to independently research additional services at the destination; and there may be higher costs compared to a guided tour. Furthermore, if not careful, customers can be scammed when purchasing travel packages through social media. In reality, to organize a tour, travel agencies must meet many conditions and are subject to strict control from state management agencies in the tourism sector, while the sale of travel packages is less regulated. With the increasing demand, many organizations and individuals have entered the market for selling travel packages to tourists, some of whom have taken advantage of this to commit fraud. “Choosing a combo package or booking a full tour depends on the traveler's needs, but it's important to thoroughly research the information before purchasing and choose reputable travel agencies. In particular, travelers need to be vigilant and cautious of travel combo packages with vague information and unusually low prices sold on social media to avoid being scammed,” advised Mr. Tran Minh Duc, Deputy Director of Long Phu Tourism Joint Stock Company and Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Travel Association.

THANH NGUYEN

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