Price plunge in tourist bid – In a move to attract more tourists, prices for many tours throughout Vietnam will drop by 30 to 50 percent until September. This is one of the initiatives to boost tourism by Tran Chien Thang, Vietnam Deputy Minister of Tourism, Sport and Culture. He believes it will enable Vietnam to compete better with neighboring countries in the hunt for tourist dollars.Last year, the tourist numbers in Vietnam fell by 2 to 9 percent as the global economy crunch hit the country.
A more contentious proposal, yet to be put to Government, calls for the hotels and small licensed establishments throughout Vietnam to be allowed to stay open until 2 a.m. At present, most bars close at midnight, and this is often a sore point with travellers who are used to more liberal trading hours.
Thang, who is also Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), said the new sales approach would be called “Impressive Vietnam”.
The deputy minister said the Tourism Ministry would also propose that the government exempt travel agents from Value Added Tax (VAT) and reduce electricity and water bills.
Announcing the new approach, he said it would run from this month until September 2009 and aim to get tourists to unzip their wallets. “Cooperation with travel agents is vital for the success of the campaign” said deputy minister Thang, who predicted it would make remarkable changes.
Vu The Binh, director of the VNAT’s travel department, said the campaign would introduce rate cuts of 30-50 percent by 61 Hotels, three transport companies and 14 shopping centers. This would als involve 99 package tours for both international and domestic guests.
Nguyen Thj Van Anh, head of the tour department of Red Tour, said that her company joined the program although it might face losses.
“Tour prices were once said to be too high compared to other regional countries. What we want now is to promote a new image of Vietnam”, she underscored.
The company has launched its first two products – a package tour of Can Tho-Cha Doc-Ha Tien for international guests and another of HaNoi-Bac Nunh-Ha Long to attract domestic visitors. Each package is reduced by 40 percent.
“Many other packages will be introduced as time goes on”, said Van Anh.
VNAT has called support from relevant ministries, including the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry and Public Security to simplify procedures for visitors, especially in granting visas at border gates and embassies.
Vietnam tourism also wants to open more routes to mainland China, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Myanmar and eventually to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
According to VNAT’s statistics, there were 4.2 million international visitors to Vietnam in 2008, that is 800,000 short of the target.
Since June 2008, the number of guests from main markets, including Japan, South Korea and Europe has fallen between 2 and 9 percent.
This new initiative can only be successful in bringing in more tourists if the responsible partners, including the Ministries of Tourism and Industry, find a way to get the news of these low costs directly to the tourists in the main markets. More tourists will decide to visit Vietnam if they learn of these new prices at home during their planning for the next vacation. That means this campaign has to be accompanied by large public relations, advertisement and press measures in the target markets.
Joachim Fischer, currently in Hanoi, Vietnam
