Thailand is the ‘national tour’ of Vietnamese tourists in the summer

Nguyen Phuong Uyen, 35 years old, has just transferred the remaining tour fee to the travel agency so that she can depart for Thailand in early July with her husband and 9-year-old daughter. The female tourist from Ho Chi Minh City chose the Bangkok – Pattaya tour so that her child can travel internationally and swim in the sea.

Vietravel Tourism Company Deputy General Director Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang said the number of outbound tourists (Vietnamese tourists traveling abroad) during the summer increased sharply, especially in June and July. In July alone, the company received nearly 9,000 customers registering to go to Thailand, an increase of nearly 45% compared to the same period last year.

CEO Le Minh Quan of Group Tours said the number of tourists booking tours to Thailand during the summer usually increases by 30-50% compared to other occasions of the year. In July, Group Tours had 70 groups going to Thailand, each group had 25 guests. Each year, the company brings about 600 tourist groups to Thailand. “The number of tourists going to Thailand accounts for 40% of the total number of tourists buying tours,” Mr. Quan said, saying the most chosen tour is Bangkok – Pattaya 5 days 4 nights.

Bangkok – Pattaya tour prices range in the market from 5.9 to 9.9 million VND, depending on the company and schedule, group of guests, departure place, and airline. According to Mr. Quan, most guests prefer to fly with the national airline and are free to check their luggage (23 kg checked in, 12 kg carry-on).

Head of Communications at Flamingo Redtours Vu Bich Hue said that Thailand is affectionately called “national tour” by Vietnamese tourists and is always at the top of the list of international destinations loved by Vietnamese tourists. “Thailand is not only hot in the summer but all four seasons of the year,” said Ms. Hue. Flamingo Redtours sent about 1,500 guests to Thailand in the summer, and in July, the number of guests traveling to Thailand increased by 30% compared to last year. The outbound market this year increased compared to 2023 thanks to international tour prices being equivalent to domestic or lower.

Thailand currently fully meets the entertainment elements of Vietnamese people: “virtual living” check-in points, entertainment, cuisine, shopping, and festivals. In addition, Vietnam – Thailand has convenient flights and simple procedures, only requiring a passport to depart. The Thai government’s tourism communication work also attracts the attention of many Vietnamese tourists. The support policy of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for Vietnamese travel companies is rated “very good”, helping to keep tour prices at an affordable level, meeting most customer segments. In July, Flamingo Redtours has a full tour to Thailand. Besides Bangkok – Pattaya, the 5 days 4 nights Chocolate Museum priced at 7.9 million VND is also a highly booked tour.

Explaining why Thailand is a “national” destination for Vietnamese tourists, Ms. Hoang said that in addition to the short flight time of 1-2 hours, the two countries have many cultural and culinary similarities that help Vietnamese tourists easily integrate and adapt. Compared to other international destinations, Thailand has reasonable prices for services and food, suitable for Vietnamese tourists’ budgets. Thai airlines and travel companies often launch attractive promotional programs. In addition, Thailand has attractive tour schedules, diverse services such as airport shuttle, hotels, and sightseeing tickets in addition to package tours.

According to tourism experts, Vietnamese people’s sympathy for Thailand’s tourism industry is also one of the reasons why this country is a top favorite destination.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnam is one of the markets sending the most visitors to Thailand. Figures from TAT show that in the first 5 months of the year, nearly 400,000 Vietnamese visitors came to Thailand. In May alone, the number of Vietnamese visitors reached more than 100,000, ranking behind some Asian countries such as China, Malaysia, South Korea, and Laos.

To increase the attractiveness for tourists, travel companies also renew traditional tours by adding new attractions, diversifying products and itineraries. In addition to traditional tours, tourists have more options such as exploring the Northern Rose of Thailand: Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai for 4 days, priced at about 13 million VND; exploring the two countries of Laos – Thailand: Vientiane – Udon Thani – Paksan for 5 days, priced at nearly 7.5 million VND.

Because the tour price is stable and reasonable, the itinerary is attractive, and the duration is not too short or long, tours departing from summer to August of many travel companies are mostly full.

“I go to Thailand almost every year,” Phuong Uyen said. Uyen had been to Thailand three times before, traveling independently with her husband. This time, she brought her daughter along, and she wanted to choose a tour because the tourist destinations have guides explaining, so her daughter would have more knowledge about the culture and history of the destination.

According to CEO Quan of Group Tours, Thailand tourism is still the top trend for Vietnamese people. Many customers who have already gone still book tours to Thailand. “Therefore, August is still the peak month for Thailand tourism,” Mr. Quan added.