Buzz
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the term 'affordable travel combos' has surged in search volume. With a few keyboard strokes, Google will present you with millions of results, including both legitimate sellers and potential scams. This inadvertently affects reputable travel companies, causing customers to lose trust in choosing travel combos. So, do truly budget-friendly travel packages still exist?
Be Vigilant about Scams in Buying Cheap Travel Combos
In recent days, the story of a fraudulent travel agent in Hanoi absconding with money has surfaced in various newspapers. This has left many customers in doubt about the existence of budget-friendly travel combos and has made them more cautious about this form of travel.
Insights from a deceived customer after falling victim to a cheap travel combo from a rampant social media scam:
The core of a travel combo is a service package that includes round-trip airfare, accommodation, and potentially other services depending on the provider, such as sightseeing tours, breakfast buffets, airport transfers, etc. Sellers present this business model as a solution to cost and time concerns while ensuring the freedom and comfort akin to independent travel (something traditional tours often lack).
Just as the sellers initially hoped, combo travel quickly won the hearts of many, becoming the top choice for numerous travelers in recent times.
However, it didn't take long for deceptive entities to exploit the appeal of this business model. They employ sophisticated scams that trap numerous individuals, ranging from sub-agents and collaborators to unsuspecting customers—all falling victim to the deception.
Be Extra Cautious: Be extremely vigilant about unreliable sales information on social media, especially from self-proclaimed individuals or travel agents. They often advertise travel combos to attractive destinations at unbelievably low costs, catching many off guard. The targets of these fraudulent travel agents are typically women, students, and those with low incomes, exploiting the desire for affordable options. To enhance the credibility of their sales tactics, they create Facebook accounts and virtual groups to artificially boost engagement and create a crowd effect. Additionally, they secretly establish multi-level marketing systems to expand the scope of deception.
Negative Impact on Reputable Companies
While it's understood that one can't generalize, the negative images associated with cheap travel combos have inadvertently eroded trust among customers. Reputable companies offering affordable travel products have also suffered significant repercussions.
Many reputable companies in the affordable travel product sector are currently experiencing notable repercussions from the deceptive tactics of these fraudsters
To safeguard personal interests and avoid misunderstandings with reputable entities, here are crucial steps to take before deciding to purchase a travel combo:
- Identify trustworthy agents by verifying company information, tax identification numbers, representatives, business licenses, etc.
- Thoroughly examine details within the combo package, such as all-inclusive pricing, any additional charges, travel duration, hotel names, flight details, etc.
- Compare individual prices of tickets and hotels with the combo price. There should never be a case where a travel combo is 50-70% cheaper than normal.
To delve deeper into this matter, we reached out to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Viet, Deputy Director of VNTRIP OTA, for insights.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Viet – Deputy Director of VNTRIP OTA
Question
“Hello Mr. Nguyen Thanh Viet, amidst the consumer turmoil in Vietnam over budget travel packages, why does VNTRIP OTA continue to choose, and even sell, many of these affordable travel packages?”
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Viet responds:
“Our products are built on a 'hunt' mechanism for travel packages, creating affordable packages priced at only 1,999,000 VND. With this model, we hope everyone can access fixed-price travel – a single rate no matter where you go. This helps alleviate the pressure and difficulties people face when hunting for flight tickets and accommodations, especially amidst the 'storm' of summer travel price hikes. Although the combo travel format (including flights and hotel rooms) is relatively new, VNTRIP always has a dedicated support team to ensure customers have the most comprehensive travel experiences.”
Question
“Hello Mr. Viet, amidst the plethora of budget travel packages causing concern among Vietnamese consumers, why does VNTRIP OTA persist in selecting, and even marketing, numerous affordable travel packages?”
Mr. Viet responds:
“When opting for budget travel combos, I believe you should be a savvy consumer. Carefully evaluate before making decisions. If you feel you're not 'savvy enough' (laughs), the simplest way is to choose a reputable travel company to avoid risks. Currently, Vntrip is implementing a fixed-price travel program at 1,999,000 VND throughout Vietnam. The service package includes round-trip airfare and a standard international hotel for 3 days and 2 nights. Additionally, we also offer a fixed-price travel package at 2,199,000 VND for customers with longer plans, lasting 4 days and 3 nights. This program is expected to run until the end of this year, December 31st.”
Thank you, Mr. Viet, for your insightful insights.
Affordable travel combos are a double-edged sword. Choosing the right place to buy can bring numerous benefits, but being careless and complacent may lead to falling into the traps set by scammers. Therefore, when faced with decisions, always stay vigilant to make the most informed and wise choices for yourself.
