The summer tourism promotions to stimulate demand by air carriers and tourism companies have begun with attractive discounts on offer.

Vietnam Airlines has chosen only 18 tourism companies in HCM City and five in Hanoi to ensure the quality of the campaign remains high.

Tour companies are offering a discount of 30-40 percent on tours from June to December.

Le Kim Anh, deputy director of Vietnam Airlines' northern regional office, said: "By the end of May, bookings under the programme topped 11,000."

The five Hanoi tourism companies – Vietrantour, Hanoi Redtour, Anh Duong, Vietravel Hanoi, Saigontourist Hanoi – are offering 35-40 percent discounts on around 20 tours, some of them newly launched.

For instance a four-day-three night Ha Noi – Da Nang – Quang Nam tour costs only VND5.5 million compared to VND7.5-8 million earlier.

Hanoi – Quy Nhon and Hanoi – Nha Trang – Tuy Hoa tours cost 6.7 million VND, a 3 million VND discount.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy director of Hanoi Redtour, said the company aimed to exploit flights to new beach destinations like Chu Lai, Quy Nhon, and Tuy Hoa to avoid the normal rush.

Thu Anh of Vietrantour said: "Vietrantour has launched 20 travel products based on seven air routes: Hanoi – Can Tho, Hanoi – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – Tuy Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, Hanoi – Tuy Hoa – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – Quy Nhon – Buon Ma Thuot, Hanoi – Chu Lai, Hanoi – HCM City.

"The programme has seen an increasing number of bookings, especially group and corporate customers."

There is one booking for a group of 600 tourists, he said.

"The Hanoi – Can Tho – Soc Trang – Bac Lieu – Ca Mau tour has the highest price at 7.5 million VND while a tour to Thailand costs 8.5 million VND."

Another airline that has joined the campaign is VietJetAir, which has started services to Da Nang and Nha Trang.

Hoan of Hanoi Redtour said since the two cities are hot destinations in summer, the flights are usually full.

Since VietJetAir is a budget carrier, it only allows 7kg cabin baggage free of charge, but he has negotiated with it to increase the allowance to 20kg, he said.

VietJetAir deputy general director Nguyen Duc Tam said the airline co-operated with other large travel companies to offer tours at reasonable prices.

"We are also in negotiations with the HCM City Tourism Association for a tie-up," he said.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association, said: "Travel companies and airlines that have joined the programme will not make profits. They [only want to] help Vietnamese customers enjoy domestic tours."

So the destination should offer attractive services to increase tourists' spending, which would benefit local economies, he added.- The summer tourism promotions to stimulate demand by air carriers and tourism companies have begun with attractive discounts on offer.

Vietnam Airlines has chosen only 18 tourism companies in HCM City and five in Hanoi to ensure the quality of the campaign remains high.

Tour companies are offering a discount of 30-40 percent on tours from June to December.

Le Kim Anh, deputy director of Vietnam Airlines' northern regional office, said: "By the end of May, bookings under the programme topped 11,000."

The five Hanoi tourism companies – Vietrantour, Hanoi Redtour, Anh Duong, Vietravel Hanoi, Saigontourist Hanoi – are offering 35-40 percent discounts on around 20 tours, some of them newly launched.

For instance a four-day-three night Ha Noi – Da Nang – Quang Nam tour costs only VND5.5 million compared to VND7.5-8 million earlier.

Hanoi – Quy Nhon and Hanoi – Nha Trang – Tuy Hoa tours cost 6.7 million VND, a 3 million VND discount.

Nguyen Cong Hoan, deputy director of Hanoi Redtour, said the company aimed to exploit flights to new beach destinations like Chu Lai, Quy Nhon, and Tuy Hoa to avoid the normal rush.

Thu Anh of Vietrantour said: "Vietrantour has launched 20 travel products based on seven air routes: Hanoi – Can Tho, Hanoi – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – Tuy Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, Hanoi – Tuy Hoa – Quy Nhon, Hanoi – Quy Nhon – Buon Ma Thuot, Hanoi – Chu Lai, Hanoi – HCM City.

"The programme has seen an increasing number of bookings, especially group and corporate customers."

There is one booking for a group of 600 tourists, he said.

"The Hanoi – Can Tho – Soc Trang – Bac Lieu – Ca Mau tour has the highest price at 7.5 million VND while a tour to Thailand costs 8.5 million VND."

Another airline that has joined the campaign is VietJetAir, which has started services to Da Nang and Nha Trang.

Hoan of Hanoi Redtour said since the two cities are hot destinations in summer, the flights are usually full.

Since VietJetAir is a budget carrier, it only allows 7kg cabin baggage free of charge, but he has negotiated with it to increase the allowance to 20kg, he said.

VietJetAir deputy general director Nguyen Duc Tam said the airline co-operated with other large travel companies to offer tours at reasonable prices.

"We are also in negotiations with the HCM City Tourism Association for a tie-up," he said.

Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Travel Association, said: "Travel companies and airlines that have joined the programme will not make profits. They [only want to] help Vietnamese customers enjoy domestic tours."

So the destination should offer attractive services to increase tourists' spending, which would benefit local economies, he added. -VNA