Vietnam travelers splurge on bespoke, experience-led summer tours

Tour operators said more customers were seeking unique itineraries, adventure tourism, and premium services instead of conventional package holidays centered on accommodation and sightseeing.

Tran Xuan Hung, chief executive of Viking Travel, said many travelers were prioritizing customized experiences and higher-quality services, while inbound tourism to Vietnam was also strengthening during the summer season.

Hung said some Vietnamese tourists were willing to spend up to more than VND1 billion (US$38,000) on long-distance and specialized journeys. 

He cited a 62-day caravan tour scheduled for mid-June that will take Vietnamese travelers by car through countries including Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, China, Turkey, Austria, and France.

Domestic group tours booked by companies and hospitals remained active, with many tours carrying between 80 and 200 people and combining road trips with multiple travel experiences, he said.

According to tour operators, trekking, mountain climbing, forest exploration, and sports tourism were also gaining popularity, particularly at destinations in Vietnam's northeast, northwest, and Mekong Delta regions.

New tourism products on the market include helicopter and cruise tours in Ho Chi Minh City, expeditions to Son Doong cave in Quang Tri Province, trekking routes in Ta Nang-Phan Dung, and cloud-hunting trips in Ta Xua, Lao Than and Fansipan in northern Vietnam.

"International visitors from countries including Indonesia, New Zealand, and France are also expected to travel to Vietnam during the summer, with many Southeast Asian tourists favoring nightlife, cafés, and social media-friendly destinations," Hung said.

Higher costs weigh on travel demand

At the same time, travel companies said the market was becoming increasingly polarized as more families and younger travelers organized independent trips to control spending and maintain flexible schedules.

Nguyen Truong Lan, director of NewDiscovery Travel, said domestic group tours arranged through travel firms were typically priced between VND3 million ($114) and VND5 million ($190) per person, while beach destinations and cooler highland areas remained popular during the hot season.

Lan said the tourism market was under pressure from rising operating costs, especially airfare and fuel prices, which had caused some customers to delay or reconsider travel plans.

He also said corporate, school, and labor union tour groups had declined sharply this year as more workers opted to receive financial support and arrange private family trips instead.

International travel demand also faced pressure from geopolitical tensions, fuel costs, and concerns over hantavirus outbreaks, while disruptions affecting some Middle East flight routes had pushed up airfares and package prices, according to Lan.

Thailand tour packages were now priced above VND10 million ($380) per person compared with around VND5 million ($190) to VND7 million ($266) in previous years, largely because of higher airfares, he added.

Tourism businesses said they expected demand to improve from mid-June after school entrance examinations end and students begin their summer holidays.

Ho Chi Minh City's tourism department said it would continue promotional campaigns during the summer season and expand regional tourism links with southeastern and Mekong Delta localities to develop short-stay and weekend tours.

Cities and provinces across Vietnam are also launching cultural festivals and tourism stimulus programs to attract domestic and international visitors during the peak summer travel season.