Cheap domestic and international tour packages on offer at HCMC tourism fair

BenThanh Tourist, Saigontourist and other travel agencies in Vietnam are offering discounts on tour packages at the 18th HCMC International Tourism Fair (ITE HCMC 2024) held September 5-7.

The event, organized at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), 799 Nguyen Van Linh street, District 7, HCMC, is themed “Sustainable Tourism: Creating the Future in HCMC.”

Organizers say visitors can take advantage of "super cheap" prices, with discounts of up to VND10 million ($402) on offer for international tours.

Some large travel agencies in HCMC will launch many new products and attractive incentive programs at the event, they add.

BenThanh Tourist will offer direct discounts of up to VND5 million ($201) for European tours; VND3 million ($120) for tours to the U.S.; and VND2 million for tours to Northeast Asia (Japan, South Korea and China).

For Southeast Asia, tours to Singapore and Malaysia are discounted by VND2 million ($81); to Bali and Thailand by up to VND1 million ($40.3).

Domestic tours to northern Vietnam and the central region are discounted by VND500,000 ($25).

During the three days of the fair, the three-star Vien Dong Hotel at 275A Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, HCMC, a member of the BenThanh Tourist system, is offering a 20% discount on conference room rental fees for bookings until September 30, 2024. Customers booking hotel accommodation services will receive 15% discounts on food and beverage bills for A la carte menu and room service orders.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company will introduce new tour programs and green tourism products based on Travelife sustainability criteria, contributing to Vietnam’s commitment achieve net zero emission by 2050.

Vietravel Tourism Company has said it will offer a product set “with the best prices on the market,” including a three-day Danang discovery for just VND3.99 million ($141).

It will offer discounts of VND2 million ($81) for some tours, like an Australia discovery tour for VND27.99 million ($1,128).

The ITE Fair has so far booked the participation of 450 exhibitors and 200 international buyers from 33 countries and territories, an increase of more than 10% compared to its 2023 edition. It is expected that this year’s fair will set up more than 10,000 business appointments.

The fair is also the only international tourism event in Vietnam with an international buyer program, thereby providing for international tourism businesses to expand their markets, bring tourists to Vietnam.

It also supports the search for tourism partners in Vietnam and the lower Mekong region.

Doan Thanh Tra, marketing and communications director of Saigontourist Travel, commented that the fair was an opportunity for the company to continue promoting and expanding channels to attract tourists from more than 40 key markets in the world and the region through meetings with many international buyers.

"We introduce to partners and visitors the potential of Vietnam tourism as well as new and unique destinations, optimal services, and many unique programs combining river and sea tourism, creating the premise for signing long-term cooperation.

"Participating in the ITE fair is a good opportunity for the company to update and re-evaluate tourism trends in international markets. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in product and service orientation to meet the needs of tourists and partners," she said.

Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Tourism, said that the theme of this year’s fair reflected the strategic vision of the HCMC tourism industry in the current context, emphasizing the importance of tourism development based not only on economic benefits but also on harmony with cultural, social and environmental values.

Hoa noted that "sustainable tourism" was not a new concept, but its application and development in each specific strategy required commitment and continuous efforts from all stakeholders.