Hanoi (VNA) - Travel firms have launched a variety oftours as the busy summer travel season begins.
Tour bookings are expected to surge by 10-15 percent and tour fares by5-10 percent, according to travel firms.
Tran Doan The Duy, deputy general director of Vietravel, said that tourscosting 7-12 million VND (230-513 USD) have attracted more customers.
“Tour costs remain one of the big concerns of customers,” Duy said. “Mostcustomers search for information about destinations and tour services onlinebefore heading to tour operators for booking.”
Vietravel plans to spend 12.5 billion VND (534,300 USD) for promotions with atarget of attracting 285,000 customers this summer.
Tran The Dung, deputy director of The He Tre Travel, said summer is an idealtime for traveling anywhere in the country and tour operators have designedtours offering new travel experiences for customers.
Tours with a price of 10-11 million VND (427-470 USD) for five to six days arefavoured by young and middle-aged customers.
Tran Thi Bao Thu, marketing and communications director of Fiditour, said thecompany began planning new tour products, especially domestic tours, at the endof last year.
Many summer tours to popular destinations are designed for Free & Easytravelers.
Tour operators said it is difficult to offer stable tour fares during busytravel season when air fares and prices of hospitality services surge.
Entertainment, shopping and food and beverage services at somedestinations have failed to develop in line with the development of hotels andresorts, Thu said.
Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink, said promotion programmes fordomestic tours are not as attractive as outbound tours, resulting in anincrease in sale of outbound tours.
Tour fares to the Republic of Korea, for example, fell to 12-13 million VND (512-555USD) this year from 16-17 million VND (683-726 USD) last year due to a drop inair fares and incentive policies for tour groups of 40 people and above, hesaid.-VNA
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