Published:  17:23 Thursday - March 14, 2013

Travel firms have marketed a series of tours with attractive low fees for March in an effort to lure more travelers. However, the big price discounts have raised worry that if the low-cost tour means low-quality tour.

Travelers visit the silk village in Quang Nam province

Vietravel has offered the sharp 45 percent tour fee reduction for the tours with the destinations in Phu Yen, Kien Giang, Cambodia, Da Lat and Nha Trang. The tours to the northern and central regions have also been seen significant fee reductions.

The 4-day Chau Doc – Ha Tien – Kampot - Sihanouk Ville – Bokor tour, for example, costs VND3.990,000, down by 25 percent, the 3-day tour to Da Lat City now costs VND1,450,000, down by 45 percent, according to Thoi bao Kinh te Saigon.

Meanwhile, with the support by the private airline Vietjet Air, the travel firm has offered the price discounts of VND1.9-3 million for some tours to the north and the central region.

Saigon Tiep Thi reported that some travel firms have marketed the tours with the tour fees lower by VND2.5-3.5 million than Tet tours, applied to the tours from HCM City to the north and central region. Meanwhile, the reductions of VND1-1.5 million have been offered to the tours in the southern region.

Saigontourist has affirmed that its tour fees are now very attractive for those, who want to travel the sea city of Da Nang, the ancient town of Hoi An and ancient capital city of Hue. A tour to the three destinations now costs VND5,124,000, while travelers would have to pay VND5,778,000 if they want to travel to Ba Na as well.

Doan Ngoc Lien, an office worker in Binh Thanh district, said she was so surprised when reading the news that Lien Bang Travelink offers the six-day outbound tour to Taiwan and Japan at the cost of VND30 million only.

When asked about the quality of the tours, the heads of travel firms all have guaranteed about the quality of meals, accommodation services and the sightseeing places.

Tu Quy Thanh, Managing Director of Lien Bang Travelink, said the travel firm has placed orders for the services with the partners, including airlines, in Taiwan and Japan for the whole year already, which allows it to retail services at low prices.

Meanwhile, Saigontourist and Vietravel said the tour fees have been lowered after they got the cooperation agreements with Vietjet Air, which allows reducing the airfares. Meanwhile, both the travel firms have coaches of their own which allow to take initiative in carrying travelers. Therefore, they can save the transportation costs.

Especially, analysts said, travel firms have decided to buy products and services wholesale in order to enjoy low prices, which allow them to reduce the retail prices.

Hotels, restaurants and tourist complexes have said that they accept the price discounts of up to 40-45 percent for the travel firms which place big orders. In some cases, they offer the service fee exemptions for 2-4 guests in the groups of 15-25 guests and higher, or offer sharp price discounts for one in every 10 groups of guests.

Thanh of Lien Bang Travel has admitted that the low prices offered by the two big guys Saigontourist and Vietravel would force other travel firms to follow the move. 

He said Lien Bang Travelink is following necessary steps in order to reduce the tour fees to the similar levels.

Vietnamnet