Vietnam’s giant mobile service provider Mobifone has launched a prepaid Happy Tourist package, offering global travelers data, SMS, and call services at an affordable price.

With a simcard and an account, worth about VND250,000 (roughly US$12.5), subscribers will be provided with two options: Happy Tourist Data offering data and SMS services or Happy Tourist Voice & Data offering calls, SMS, and data services.

User guidance is available in English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

According to MobiFone, the Happy Tourist Data offers 3GB of high-quality 3G data services. With this tariff plan, subscribers can send intra-network, trans-network, and international text messages for VND290, 350, and 2,500 respectively while its data service will cost VND9.77 per 50 kilobytes.

Meanwhile, users of Happy Tourist Voice & Data pay VND1,580, 1,780, and 3,960 per minute respectively for intra-network, trans-network, and international calls. It charges VND100, 250, and 2,500 per SMS and offers data at VND25 per 50 kilobytes.

Happy Tourist is said to be the first-ever data and mobile service package in Vietnam despite the fact that MobiFone is not the first provider launching mobile services for international tourists.

MobiFone said Happy Tourist is provided already at airports and popular tourist destinations in Vietnam; local travel agents can help their customers register for the package.

According to official figures released by local tourism authorities, the annual number of international visitors coming to Vietnam has reached 7 to 10 million who are also target customers of major mobile network operators such as MobiFone, Vinaphone, and Viettel.

Local travel agencies said that as for international tourists’ behaviors, the demand for data has significantly increased compared to that for basic mobile services in recent years. With a boom in social networks such as Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, etc. tourists can share travel photos, video, and their feeling, which contributes to a sharp growth in data service usage.

Vietnam is one of a few countries offering the lowest costs for telecom services in the world. Journalist Juha Saarinen from PC World New Zealand has recently supposed that it is very convenient and economical for foreign travelers to use a Wi-fi and 3G tariff plan on coming to Vietnam.

“In Vietnam, I can find wifi service everywhere and usually free of charge. Besides, 3G is also very cheap and good. Foreign travelers can use 3G services easily with a prepaid simcard at VND65,000, equivalent to just four New Zealand dollars,” Juha Saarinen wrote.

“I hope Vietnamese telecommunication operators will come to New Zealand to provide services and help slash the service charges in the expensive market,” he added. 

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Chien, vice director of MobiFone, said: “Thanks to its natural diversity and stable political system, there is a considerable rise in the number of international tourists to Vietnam, leading to an increase in the demand for telecom services.”

“Moreover, MobiFone has constantly upgraded mobile networks and offered various packages to serve customers better. We believe that Happy Tourist will meet the growing needs of customers as well as contribute to the development of the country’s tourism industry,” Chien concluded.