Hanoi (VNA)ꩵ – The 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30) has helped create new trends of choosing tours, routes and tourism activities of tourists who are excited about the upcoming April 30-May 1 holidays that last five straight days.

Catching these trends, localities, destinations, and services providers have all prepared to serve increasing numbers of domestic and international visitors, with the expectation that tourism will have more momentum to grow stronger. About a month ago, the tourism market has been bustling as holiday planners started booking tours, air tickets, and hotels to take advantage of reasonable prices. Vu Van Tuyen, Director of Travelogy Vietnam Tourism Company, said the number of tourists booking tours during this year's holidays has increased by 20-30% compared to the same period in 2024. Travel packages combining relaxation and cultural - historical experiences are leading in booking rates. The weather during this period is often hot and sunny, so popular domestic destinations are coastal cities and plateaus with cool climate. The top 10 most searched domestic destinations include Da Nang, Da Lat, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Phu Quoc, Ha Long, Hanoi and Hoi An. This year, airfares remain the biggest concern for many holidaymakers. Before April, round-trip airfares from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang, Nha Trang ranged from 4 - 6 million VND (153-230 USD). Near the holidays, the price skyrocketed from 4 to more than 10 million VND per a round-trip ticket. Airfares from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City at this time are mainly only available in business class, with good flight schedules and prices ranging from 8 - 10 million VND. Thus, the airfare alone for a family of 4-5 members traveling during the holidays has cost up to tens of millions of VND. Combined with the costs of food, accommodation, daily transport and participating in activities, the total cost of the trip exceeds the affordability of many families. After looking for airfare prices and careful consideration, Nguyen Hong Nhung from Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung district decided to choose to travel by a private car. With a budget of several hundred thousand to several million VND, many individuals and families choose one-day tours or short trips lasting 2-3 days. Anticipating this situation, localities across the country has simultaneously launched many programmes with a variety of destinations and prices, meeting the needs of tourists.

On this occasion, Ho Chi Minh City is the destination that attracts many tourists. Accordingly, the municipal Department of Tourism has implemented a series of special tourism activities to express deep gratitude, honour sacred historical values, and at the same time is expected to bring tourists attractive and memorable experiences. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the department, said that the city currently has more than 3,200 accommodation facilities serving tourists. Of which, there are more than 130 hotels rated 1-5 star standards, with a total of about 55,000 rooms. Hotels in district 1, district 4 and Ben Nha Rong area where many art performances, parades, fireworks, light festivals and cuisine events take place, have reached a capacity of 95% to 100%. However, according to Hoa, the city's room capacity is still enough to meet the increased demand for accommodation during the April 30-May 1 holidays. The city's tourism industry is coordinating with districts to update the accommodation system, ensuring the best services for tourists. Travel businesses have also launched many cultural and historical tours, from short trips within the city to long trips connecting to neighbouring provinces. Many programmes are tailored for specific groups such as students, the elderly and international visitors. In addition, thematic tours associated with the museum system, architectural heritage, and the night tour programme at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum are also renewed, contributing to increasing the attractiveness of tourism in the city during this important holidays. In addition to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, localities with tourism advantages have also prepared to welcome a large number of visitors during the holidays. In the coastal city of Da Nang, 3-5 star hotels recorded room occupancy rates of up to 90%, many places were almost fully booked. Nguyen Duc Quynh, Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, said that the city currently has nearly 1,300 accommodation establishments with more than 46,000 rooms, capable of serving a large number of visitors, even when coastal hotels are fully booked. It is forecast that the number of visitors to Da Nang during the upcoming holidays will increase by about 15% compared to the same period in 2024. On average, more than 50 international flights will land in the city every day, contributing to pushing the room capacity to the maximum level. On this basis, Da Nang expects the capacity to reach 100% during the holidays./.