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Tour operators claim outbound
tourists are up 40%

HCMC – The HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has said around
60,000 local people flew to foreign destinations from Tan Son Nhat
International Airport this month as tour operators insist the outbound tourism business is
booming.

Local operators told the Daily that outbound tourists are up 20%, some companies even
claim the growth rate is estimated at 40% in the first four months of this year.

High numbers of local people are making trips to expensive destinations such as South
Korea, Western Europe, Australia and the U.S along with familiar destinations like
Singapore, Malaysia and China.

“Outbound tourists are up around 30 to 40% compared to the first four months of last
year. Many tourists have traveled in groups to long-haul destinations,” said Dinh Kim
Phuong, director of Carnival Tours.

Tu Quy Thanh, director of Lien Bang Travelink, said outbound tourists had gone up by
20% this year. But he insists they are more frugal and have gone for cheaper tours.

The department estimates around 250,000 foreign visitors would visit the city this
month, up 9% year-on-year and tourism revenue would reach VND4 trillion, up 25%
from the same period last year, because of higher prices.

It said international visitor arrivals in the city in the first four months of this year were
projected to reach around 1.15 million, up 7% year-on-year. Tourism revenue is
expected to amount to VND15.8 trillion, up 25% year-on-year.

Some tour operators and hoteliers told the Daily that higher costs are increasing their
revenue but their profits are not at the same growth rate.

“The tour price has increased by 15 to 20% because the transportation fee has surged
30%, foods and beverages have marked up 5% to 10% compared to last year. The high
price has led revenue to rise too,” said Tran Xuan Hung, managing director of Viking
Travel & Media Corp.

Source : By Dao Loan – The Saigon Times Daily