Tet 2024 tour attracts customers with many incentives, prices increase slightly

No more cheap tour trend

According to reporters from major travel companies in Ho Chi Minh City such as Saigontourist, BenThanh Tourist, Vietravel, TST tourist... the demand for tourism during the Lunar New Year 2024 is showing positive signs with the number of customers registering for tours increasing.

To attract tourists, travel agencies have introduced products that are suitable for the market. The new feature of this year's Tet tours is no longer the trend of cheap tours but the priority of choosing quality tours. Up to now, the majority of tourists tend to choose to travel abroad, mostly in the Northeast Asian market (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong (China); followed by the European market and Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Singapore, Bali - Malaysia, Cambodia). In the domestic tourism market, the trend of choosing tours to the North (mainly tourists from the South) has also increased; followed by tours to Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Phu Quoc...

Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Director of Communications and Marketing of Saigontourist Travel Company, said that since October, the company has launched domestic and international tours, with more than 300 tours with continuous departure schedules. To stimulate demand, the company offers incentives to customers who buy tours early.

Specifically, group travelers get a discount of up to VND10 million/person and an additional VND2 million for groups of 4. This year, the company has invested in exciting Tet itineraries and high-end services such as: 11-day Brazil - Argentina tour (29th of Tet) from VND189,999 million; 5-star cruise tour MSC World Europa, 13-day Italy - Malta - Spain itinerary (30th of Tet) from VND139,999 million...

In addition, the 1-2 day domestic product line such as "Go on a tour before Tet, bring Spring home" at Sa Dec flower village - Lai Vung tangerine garden or My Tho - Thoi Son; the tour series "Westerners celebrate Tet" to explore the pre-Tet atmosphere in My Tho... is also very attractive to foreign visitors. This is a product line that has been positioned in the hearts of international tourists for 20 years every Tet holiday.

Similarly, BenThanh Tourist Company has opened nearly 100 domestic and international tour programs for the 2024 Lunar New Year. Of which, the lowest domestic tour price is 990,000 VND (Sa Dec flower village tour), the highest is 14.99 million VND (Sa Pa - Dien Bien - Moc Chau - Mai Chau tour). Meanwhile, the lowest foreign tour price is 4.25 million VND (Cambodia tour) and the highest is 125 million VND (Europe tour). These are also tours for people with low incomes.

In addition, the company also launched a number of promotional activities, giving travel gifts to customers who buy tours early such as: 1 million VND discount on foreign tours; "Discount Week - Celebrate Golden Birthday" program; Tour of the Year 2024 Northern Europe itinerary with discounts up to 15 million VND.

Meanwhile, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Company, said that during the 2024 Tet holiday, the company is expected to serve more than 150,000 visitors, an increase of 15% compared to the Tet holiday period before the Covid-19 epidemic. Of which, there are about 100 domestic tourism products and about 200 international tourism products. Currently, the number of visitors booking tours has also begun to increase.

To attract customers, businesses also invest in new Tet tour products, from tours to experience culture and cuisine in the North - Central - South to cherry blossom viewing routes in Japan, China... Customers who pay for Tet tours early will receive a refund of up to 1.5 million VND, and a discount of up to 800,000 VND/person when buying group tours...

"Shake hands" to keep prices stable

In the context of economic difficulties, tour prices are one of the criteria that customers consider when choosing. Therefore, travel companies have researched and coordinated with other units to keep prices stable for customers.

Ms. Tran Phuong Linh, Marketing and Communications Director of BenThanh Tourist Company, said that compared to the same period last year, the price of this year's Tet tour is not much different; however, depending on the route, the tour price will increase by about 5 - 10% compared to the price at normal times but not compared to the same period last year.

"To keep prices stable for customers, the unit has actively worked with airlines and service providers early, thereby achieving good incentives, contributing to stabilizing tour prices, while reducing the pressure of high airfares at the end of the year for the unit," Ms. Tran Phuong Linh added.

Assessing the 2024 Tet travel trend, Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing at TST Tourist Company, said that tourists choose package tours on long routes more, both domestically and internationally. For short-distance destinations, especially routes with convenient highways within 300 km, they will attract more independent tourists and service bookings than package tours. Due to the high demand for travel during Tet, most transportation providers are currently increasing prices, which also causes this year's tour prices to increase by at least 15% compared to the same period.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing Communications Director of Vieluxtour Travel Company, each market will have different prices increase - decrease, so most tour prices are maintained at an increase of about 5 - 15%. In particular, international tour prices are having many advantages and attracting the majority of Vietnamese tourists, especially Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia routes. Although companies are committed to ensuring service quality and reasonable tour prices, the closer to Tet, the higher the tour prices will fluctuate compared to normal times. Therefore, tourists planning to travel during Tet should book services early to get preferential and reasonable tour prices.

"Currently, the number of customers booking Tet tours is increasing every day. Therefore, travel businesses expect the growth rate during Tet in the markets to reach an average of 20-25% compared to the same period last year," Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu added.