Hanoi: Domestic and foreign tour packages during the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday are still available for booking, travel firms have said.

High airfare prices are among the reasons why many tourists have cancelled or changed their travel plans for the upcoming holiday, making it a tall order for tour operators to sell trips with airfares.

According to Deputy Director of the Domestic Tourism Division at Saigontourist Travel Services Co., Ltd Vu Hai Sam, road trips departing from Ho Chi Minh City, priced from 4.3 million VND (175 USD), have been on offer.

Tours to the northern localities, ranging from 9-15 million VND have been attractive to visitors as well, he said.

Regarding foreign tours, long-haul trips have closed for booking but tours to countries with simple visa procedures still have vacant slots, Sam said, adding trips to Hawaii, Maldives, India and Bhutan are the apples of tourists’ eyes and their prices remain unchanged from normal.

Marketing Director at Viettravel Nguyen Nguyet Van Kh
anh said her company has sold out tours to Europe, Australia and the US and still opens bookings for domestic tours and those to Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia.

As purchasing power before Tet lagged behind expectation, travel firms have let their customers book tickets close to the holiday, said Marketing Director of Vietluxtour Tran Thi Bao Thu, highlighting the firm has made early preparation for spring tours.

Meanwhile, Communications and Marketing Director at TST Tourist Nguyen Minh Man said many customers have chosen after-Tet tours due to their good prices./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency