Buzz
Many Trends Ascending
After a long period of stagnation, both domestic and international tourism in Vietnam have been frozen by the pandemic. However, amidst coexisting with COVID-19, approaching the Lunar New Year of the Tiger 2022, promising signs of new travel trends have gradually emerged and been favored by both Vietnamese and foreign tourists coming to Vietnam.
Many travel experts assess that the trend of nature-friendly tourism is gaining favor among many. Eco-tourism destinations nestled deep in the mountains, limiting crowdedness, have been recording a relatively steady stream of tourists booking accommodations every weekend.
With vast, secluded spaces, entirely separate from densely populated areas, these regions provide peace of mind for travel groups. Especially, from late December until now, the demand for nature-friendly travel has surged as companies and organizations plan year-end parties.
This trend is clearly visible in Hanoi and other major cities. Instead of long-distance trips, people have opted for nearby destinations in Hanoi or even suburban areas of the capital, ensuring both exploration and safety amidst the pandemic.
Ms. Nguyen Thu An, manager of Moonlight homestay in Minh Phu commune, Soc Son district, stated: 'All of Moonlight's accommodations have been booked for weeks now. In fact, with the ongoing pandemic, guests cannot travel far, so they proactively make reservations.'
On the other hand, due to the impact of the pandemic, travelers now prefer flexible room booking/cancellation. Unlike previous years when there was often concern about room shortages during Tet, people are now more cautious. Despite the desire to travel after a stressful period, many families are not rushing to book rooms but waiting to monitor the situation. Therefore, units prioritizing flexible postponement/cancellation policies are sought after by many families.
Notably, a trend in tourism that always acts as a magnet attracting travelers during the Lunar New Year is culinary tourism. However, due to the impact of the complex pandemic situation, instead of going to distant places, many families opt for nearby tours, enjoying long-familiar cuisines that have not been experienced for a long time due to the pandemic.
Many experts have pointed out that culinary tourism has long been a key positioning of the country's tourism brand, especially it can become a competitive advantage to attract international tourists amidst the pandemic.
The trend of nature-friendly tourism remains popular.
Tourism businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Understanding travelers' psychology, many travel agencies and tourism businesses have seized opportunities to develop a plethora of unique tourism products. The main goals are to build safe tourism products in the new normal phase, create new and intriguing products suitable for all ages, and meet the demand for eco-tourism, cultural tourism, sports tourism, etc.
For instance, recently, residents of Hanoi, especially the youth, have been enthusiastic about paragliding services at Bu Hill (Nam Phuong Tien commune, Chuong My district). With a distance of approximately 40km from Hanoi's city center to Bu Hill, the distance and travel time are perfect for day trips. This area, with its mountainous landscape, retains a pristine charm, ideal for those who enjoy exploration and adventure.
Ms. Dang Huong Giang, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, stated that during the fourth wave of COVID-19, many travel companies proactively developed attractive tour products and programs. Examples include cycling tours to Co Loa, Dong Mo - Ba Vi - Duong Lam ancient village, French architecture tours in Hanoi, double-decker bus tours, caravan tours, etc. Especially during the 2022 New Year holiday, Hanoi introduced many new tourism products such as stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) on the Red River, camping activities in suburban areas of Hanoi, etc.
Travel agencies also focus on creating products that provide the most authentic experiences for travelers, such as participating in traditional food festivals and festivals in many regions, villages, farms, or even joining cooking classes, culinary tours to fully explore the delicious Vietnamese cuisine.
In addition to innovative product offerings, many travel agencies have decided to offer last-minute tours. Other agencies have proactively adapted by enhancing their booking technology applications and implementing some of the best postponement/cancellation policies for customers. Booking.com is currently updating its policy to allow customers to modify their bookings once a day with the condition that no refund is provided if canceled, or flexible cancellation is available free of charge at least 1 day before the trip starts. Furthermore, many travel companies are launching last-minute promotion programs for customers when booking tours.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tai, CEO of VietSense Travel Company, although the northern market has not shown signs of recovery, many tourists from the Central and Southern regions have inquired about and booked tours for the Lunar New Year of the Tiger. Mr. Tai added: 'Although the number of tour bookings is not high, it is predicted that in about 1 to 2 weeks, tourists from the Central and Southern regions will finalize tours because tourists tend to book tours close to the departure date.'
By Thai Ngan / (PLVN)
