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| Visitors at a historical site in Hue |
Tourist numbers expected to surge
Since early March 2025, bookings for Hue tours during the April 30 - May 1 holiday have begun to increase significantly. According to Mr. Vu Van Chuong, Vice Chairman of the Hue Travel Association and Director of Vietnam Pride Tourism Company, this year has seen substantial bookings from individual travelers and families. Besides visiting tourist attractions in Hue City, visitors also want to experience programs and events of the National Tourism Year - Hue 2025. Additionally, self-arranged tourism is predicted to increase sharply. It is expected that during the holiday period, there will be many days when the number of visitors to Hue will surge dramatically. “A positive sign compared to last year, when guests typically stayed for 1-2 nights, is that this year, based on general observations, many visitors wish to stay in Hue longer, from 2-3 nights, to experience the programs, activities, events, and festivals,” said Mr. Chuong.
According to representatives of several travel companies, summer is the peak season for domestic tourists. This year’s April 30 - May 1 holiday period extends for 5 days, combined with the vibrant summer season, creating favorable conditions for tourists to plan their trips. Due to high airfares, self-arranged travel continues to be popular, with tourists prioritizing nearby destinations, tourist spots with events and festival activities, coastal tourism routes, and nature-based ecotourism. This year’s tour prices are expected to increase by approximately 10-15% or more due to adjusted service costs, additional fees, and airfare increases. However, compared to previous years, the increase in tours and routes during this holiday period will not be too dramatic.
Hotels in Hue are predicted to reach full capacity during the holiday. Mr. Ho Dang Xuan Lan, Chairman of the Hue Hotel Association and General Director of Parkview Hue Hotel, stated that, to date, booking capacity at many hotels is gradually being filled. Customer demand this year is increasing more strongly due to activities connected with the National Tourism Year, so tourists are also making early room reservations.
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| Western tourists are enthusiastically having photos with Vietnamese visitors |
Ready with tours, routes, and services
In response to tourists’ increased demand for travel experiences, the tourism industry, travel agencies, and hotels have developed and implemented solutions to attract visitors. A representative from Vietravel Hue Company Limited said that in late March and early April, Vietravel also conducted surveys and developed tourism products in the area to serve customers during the summer in general and the April 30 - May 1 holiday period in particular. In addition to maintaining and developing tours for experiencing and exploring heritage, the company has also surveyed services and safety of the lagoon activities to expand experiential tours in Tam Giang lagoon, opened tourism routes to Bach Ma National Park, offering experiences of trekking to explore nature in the forest.
According to Mr. Chuong, the trend for independent, self-guided travel experiences has risen significantly among tourists. Based on the framework of National Tourism Year programs and activities, travel agencies have advised and introduced these to tourists for convenient experiences. In addition, businesses are ready to meet experiential products and services following tourists’ needs.
Beyond the center of Hue City, other districts and towns will also organize cultural and tourism programs and activities to attract visitors. Destinations such as A Luoi and Phu Loc are also connectedwith travel agencies to link tours and routes, introducing and welcoming tourists. Beach and waterfall destinations have undergone significant renovations and enhancements to improve visitor experiences.
A representative from the Department of Tourism announced that tourism enterprises throughout the region have been directed to enhance their service standards to guarantee both visitor safety and exceptional service quality. Tourist attractions, hotels, and restaurants are preparing adequate human and material resources, ready for the peak period of welcoming visitors to Hue. Particular attention is being paid to ensuring tourist safety, fire prevention safety, and food hygiene safety.
According to a leader of the Hotel Association, just before the holiday period, hotels are also reviewing their facilities, developing plans to arrange sufficient human resources and facilities, and necessary contingency conditions to serve guests, preventing any passivity during the peak period.