Tourism service providers in Phu Quoc, Hon Son, and Nam Du, popular tourist attractions in Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam, have seen modest tour and hotel room bookings for the upcoming National Day (September 2) holiday, so they may experience a slump during the four-day holiday lasting from September 1 to 4.

Ly Thua Loi, deputy general director of Golden Link Tourism Trade JSC based in Rach Gia City, Kien Giang Province, said on Thursday that the National Day holiday is around the corner but his company’s hotel room occupancy rate has reached some 60 percent, down 40 percent year on year.

Hon Son and Nam Du islands in Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province are ideal locations for diving and catching seafood. However, bookings for tours to the islands remain modest.

Travelers on board a boat to visit Phu Quoc at night. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre

“In the middle of August last year, rooms were fully booked. Visitors preferred fishing and diving tours.

“We saw a small number of customers [during the same period] this year. Service providers on Hon Son and Nam Du islands are looking forwards to customers,” Loi added.

Lam Kim Phuong, director of the Phu Quoc Branch of local travel firm Vietravel, said bookings by tourist groups were modest. The branch’s customer number is not as high as expected.

“These days last year, we welcomed 15-20 groups of tourists to Phu Quoc. The situation is opposite this year as we have served two to three groups per day, plunging some 80 percent,” Phuong informed.

She attributed the decline to the economic downturn and bad weather.

Travelers prefer tours to dive and catch fish, snails, and sea urchins on Hon Son and Nam Du islands in Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Photo: Chi Cong / Tuoi Tre

Le Trung Thuc, director of external affairs at Phu Quoc Sunset Sanato Resort and Villas, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the resort occupancy rate has reached 20 percent only, plummeting 80 percent over the year-ago period.

To attract customers, the resort has offered a discount by 10-15 percent and collected no additional fees. It has also launched promotional packages, specifically customers booking for rooms for over two nights will get tickets to VinWonders Phu Quoc Theme Park and for cable services to Hon Thom Island in Phu Quoc at no charge.

“We expect the room occupancy rate to hit some 50-60 percent during the National Day holiday,” Thuc said.

The Kien Giang Department of Tourism has required local tourism service providers to publicize product and service prices and offer services and products at these prices, and not to entice or fleece customers, said Bui Quoc Thai, director of the department.

Speed boat service providers must ensure safety for passengers. All tourism enterprises should issue policies to lure travelers during the upcoming holiday, Thai added.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!