Sa Pa is one of the most popular destinations during the April 30 - May Day holiday. In the photo: Tourists visit Cat Cat Village. (Photo: Minh Tu)
Independent travel is on the rise, with a significant increase in individual travellers searching for and booking flights early. As a result, flights to popular tourist destinations have filled up quickly, with some prime departure time slots even selling out entirely.
According to travel agencies, domestic tourists continue to favour destinations such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, and Phan Thiet. Additionally, the lush fruit orchards of the Mekong Delta, scenic routes through the Northwest and Northeast regions, and heritage sites like Hue, Hoi An, and Ninh Binh are also attracting considerable interest.
At the same time, a significant number of people are planning international trips, with Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, and South Korea being the most popular choices.
Experts predict that major travel fairs held just before the holiday, featuring attractive promotional programs, will further energise the tourism market for April 30 - May Day.
During this period, Saigontourist Travel Company is offering 84 international tours and 45 domestic tours, with discounts of up to 10 million VND for tours lasting 4-12 days. These tours will depart continuously from April 23 to May 1 across the country.
For international tours, the company is focusing on journeys tied to seasonal festivals, such as the Fuji Shibazakura Flower Festival Tour in Japan, where visitors can admire the vibrant moss phlox fields at the foot of Mount Fuji; the Keukenhof Tulip Festival Tour in the Netherlands, showcasing breathtaking tulip fields; and the Sydney Vivid Light Festival Tour in Australia, offering a dazzling light show experience.
Meanwhile, Dat Viet Tour has launched the "Book Early - Get Big Discounts" program, offering discounts of up to 4 million VND on international tours and up to 1 million VND on domestic flight tours (for groups of five or more travellers).
A survey of online ticketing platforms and airline ticket agents shows a noticeable increase in round-trip airfares for popular routes such as Hanoi - Phu Quoc, Hanoi - Nha Trang, Hanoi - Quy Nhon, and Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City. This has raised concerns that domestic tourism might once again lose its competitiveness compared to international travel, as seen in recent peak travel seasons.
Cao Tri Dung, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, stated that the number of tourists during this April 30 - May Day holiday is expected to increase significantly over previous years. Specifically, international visitors to Da Nang are projected to see a breakthrough growth of 20-25%, while domestic visitors are expected to rise by 10-15% compared to the same period last year.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, from April 25 to May 5, Vietnamese airlines plan to operate 7,536 domestic flights, averaging 685 flights per day, marking a 21% increase compared to the same period last year. The airlines will provide approximately 1.5 million seats, marking a 22% increase over last year.