Ho Chi Minh City: A Mecca for "Slow Travel" in Vietnam
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On the afternoon of July 15, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism held a press meeting about the plan to encourage tourists to choose night flights. The plan's goal is to meet the increasing travel demand during the peak summer season of 2024.

Accordingly, airlines have strived to optimize their aircrafts, service personnel, and increase night flights, contributing to lowering airfares. Despite these efforts, night flights have not really attracted passengers, and many flights were canceled. The plan to encourage tourists to choose night flights requires cooperation from relevant parties.

For example, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has coordinated with Vietnam Airlines Corporation, travel agencies, and tourist accommodation establishments to develop a set of night flight products for the peak summer tourist season.

Vietnam Airlines asked for registration from tourist accommodation establishments to compile a reasonable and attractive package for tourists. The package combined airfares from 9pm to 6am the next morning every day by offering free or discounted accommodation up to 80% for the first night. The offers apply to guests staying at least 3 nights.

There are 16 tourist accommodation establishments in the city that have registered for the program. Their packages offer discounts of 20% to 100% of the room rate for the first night according to the listed price. From the second night, the discount will be a 60% discount according to the listed price (depending on the accommodation, the policy and conditions of application might vary).

(Photo: Getty Image).

In particular, Dong Khanh Hotel reduces 100% of the first night's room rate, from the second night, 100% of the room rate is charged. The Myst Hotel reduces 49% of the first night's room rate and 53% of from the second night, 53% (Dong Khoi room - up to 30 nights), services include breakfast buffet, mini afternoon tea buffet every day from 2pm to 4pm, free pool, gym, sauna, and steambath.

Muong Thanh Luxury Saigon Hotel offers a 45% discount on the first night's room rate, from the second night the listed price will apply. Guests also get a free one-way airport transfer in a 7-seat car between 10am and 10pm on check-out day with a minimum stay of 3 nights.

All 3 locations of the Liberty Central Saigon Hotel System offer 50% discount on first night room rates. The listed price applies from the second night.

The A25 hotel system with 6 locations created 2 promotional packages including a 2-day, 2-night stay package with a 50% discount on the first night's room rate and a 20% discount on the second night. The other package offers a 3-day, 3-night stay with a 70% discount on the first night's room rate and a 20% discount from the second night.

To create the best offers for the summer, Vietnam Airlines will proactively contact and work with all 16 tourist accommodation establishments, to build combo packages including round-trip air tickets and 2 or 3 room discounts in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the summer season lasts about 3 months. there will be an average of 680 flights departing and arriving each day. On weekends from Friday to Sunday, about 710 flights are expected. The average number of passengers expected per day is about 110,000.

The total number of tourists to the city in the first 6 months of the year reached more than 19.7 million, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism reported. Of which, international visitors to the city are about 2.7 million; an increase of 38% over the same period in 2023 and reaching nearly 45% of the yearly plan. On the other hand, domestic visitors reached more than 17 million, an increase of 4.4% over the same period in 2023, also reaching 45% of the yearly plan. Ho Chi Minh City's tourism revenue led the country in the first half of the year with VND 92.6 trillion (about US $3.6 billion), an increase of nearly 15% over the same period in 2023.

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