Sep
21
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More Vietnamese travel to Thailand
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Vietnamese trips to Thailand posted a healthy growth with increasing trend toward FIT and overland travel, during the first eight months of the year.
According to the International Tourist Arrivals to Thailand Report released by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the country received 443,551 Vietnamese tourists representing a substantial growth of 22.22%. In 2011, Thailand recorded 488,315 Vietnamese tourists, up 28.38% from 2010.
The report covers arrivals up to the end of August.
Tourism Authority of Thailand director Ho Chi Minh City office, Chutathip Chareonlarp, told TTR Weekly on the sidelines of the 8th International Travel Expo 2012 in Ho Chi Minh City last week that the market has been growing by 20% since 2007.
“Thailand is one of the first choice when Vietnamese think of going overseas for a holiday because it is close and inexpensive…Domestic travel is expensive in Vietnam especially air fares, make it almost the same price as a visit to Thailand,” said Ms Chutathip.
The market should continue to grow as long as there are no severe floods or political demonstrations in the favourite destinations of Bangkok and Pattaya, she added.
FIT travel now accounts for 50% of the total visits to Thailand.
“The new generation studies languages and are more confident to travel independently. They usually buy free-and-easy packages combining just the airfare and accommodation. They use the internet to search for information, but buy land tour content from local companies on arrival in Thailand.”
Average daily spend of Vietnamese tourists is around about Bt4,000, while the average length of stay is six days.
The director added that overland travel had been increasing.
“Overland travel has good potential. We should promote the East-West Corridor linking central Vietnam from Danang through Laos to Thailand and the southern coastal corridor from south Vietnam running along the coast of Cambodia through Cambodia to Thailand… We have organised caravan tours on these routes and TAT supported two groups so far this year,” she said.
More direct flights between Vietnam’s major cities and Thailand’s provincial destinations would facilitate travel, but it would take time to catch on. Thai AirAsia used to fly between Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, but cancelled the flight because of a lack of traffic.
Thai Airways International general manager Vietnam, Narinthorn Purnagupta, who was present at the ITE, said that Thai Smile looked at Danang and “it is quite likely it will start seasonal flights as there is not enough demand in the monsoon season and flights are often cancelled due to weather conditions”.
“We are assessing the feasibility. The service has to contribute to the overall network by supplying passengers who can connect to TG services in addition to covering route operational costs.”
He said he could not say exactly when the service would start, but possibly by the next tourism season (2013/2014).
Danang’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local officials are working closely with THAI and AirAsia to develop services through a support scheme to boost tourism to Vietnam’s central region.
The central coast city’s authorities expect to gain more airline service later this year or early next year through the scheme.
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