Tourists finalize tours later
This year's National Day holiday lasts 5 consecutive days, creating favorable conditions for tourists to participate in short-day trips. However, instead of booking services early as in previous years, many tourists tend to decide close to the departure time.
Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu - Marketing - Communications Director of Vietluxtour said that by the beginning of August, businesses recorded quite positive tourism demand during National Day but clearly differentiated according to each customer group.
Customers who choose foreign tours, especially routes requiring a visa or heavily dependent on flight times, tend to finalize early to be proactive with their profiles and service classes. Conversely, domestic customers, Free & Easy and partial service often decide closer to the departure date," Ms. Thu said.
According to Vietluxtour representatives, compared to the same period before the April 30th - May 1st holiday, the number of tour bookings for September 2nd has not increased simultaneously. Close-range foreign tour groups and 5-day routes still maintain a good booking momentum, while domestic customers finalize services later because the holiday takes place after the summer peak and near the start of school.
We expect the'second booking rhythm' to be clearer in the 2-3 weeks leading up to the holiday, focusing on 3-4-day tours, small family groups and customers choosing services themselves," Ms. Thu said.
According to Ms. Thu, the noteworthy point of this year's market is that tourists are changing their choice of trips. Instead of trying to go to many destinations, many families prioritize moderate schedules, increase rest time and choose products suitable for young children, the elderly as well as the general budget.
Sharing the same opinion, Mr. Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel said that the market on September 2nd is entering a more vibrant phase as the holidays approach.
Customers tend to choose routes from 3 to 5 days, prioritizing nearby destinations, moderate schedules and reasonable total budgets. Families with young children, groups of friends and middle-aged customers are the groups that book the most services," Mr. Tu said.
According to Mr. Tu, the number of tour bookings is currently slightly lower than during the April 30th - May 1st holiday because the extended holiday schedule was announced quite close to the departure time. However, the rate of tour bookings is increasing rapidly and is likely to rise in the last two to three weeks before the holiday.
Some routes are fully booked
According to businesses' records, many tourism products during the National Day holiday have achieved a positive number of visitors. Vietluxtour said that many key groups have exceeded the guaranteed departure threshold, while BestPrice Travel recorded an average occupancy rate of products of about 80-85%.
Notably, according to Mr. Bui Thanh Tu, some departure schedules with good flight times or good prices have been fully booked, while road tours or departures with different days are still capable of receiving passengers.
In the domestic market, destinations such as Da Nang - Hoi An, Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Da Lat, Ha Long, Sa Pa along with riverine Mekong Delta routes, sea tourism, highlands and green tourism continue to be chosen by many tourists.
For the international market, Korea, China, Thailand and Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia routes maintain their appeal thanks to short flight times and costs suitable for 5-day vacations. Japan and Bhutan also received the attention of groups of customers looking for autumn experiences and high-end products.
Assessing domestic airfares, Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu said that the current price level has not increased too sharply but is differentiating according to each flight route, flight date and time frame.
According to her, long holidays help reduce demand, airlines continue to supplement operating capacity, and travel businesses proactively reserve seats early, so there is still room to maintain competitive prices on some routes.
However, good prices do not mean that supply will be stable until close to the date. Delayed bookings can cause total costs to increase rapidly, especially during good flight times and high room rates," Ms. Thu noted.
From another perspective, Mr. Bui Thanh Tu said that the reason why ticket prices have not increased sharply is also because consumer purchasing power is still quite cautious and demand is dispersed to many other types of tourism.
The fact that ticket prices are maintained at a relatively reasonable level is a positive sign for the market. However, good hours and routes with high demand can still increase prices quickly as the departure time approaches," Mr. Tu said.
Businesses all assess the market prospects for the National Day holiday and the last months of the year in a positive direction. Demand is forecast to continue to increase in family groups, small group customers, MICE customers and autumn trips, while the peak season of international visitors from the fourth quarter is expected to create more momentum for the tourism industry.
