Local travel agencies have reported surges in the number of outbound tours booked for New Year for a taste of the cold climate and fireworks shows in the countries, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

VNAT reported representatives of travel firms, including Vietrantour, Fiditour, Saigontourist and Vietravel as saying that more outbound tours for Christmas and New Year have been purchased and booked compared to domestic ones.

Several appealing outbound tours for the holiday have been fully booked.

The number of tourists has risen by 10-28%, they said.

Tran Thi Bao Thu, of Fiditour Co., said tourists began booking for Christmas and New Year outbound tours to regional and farther countries at her company since early November.

The number has risen by 25% – 28% so far, she added.

Meanwhile, Vietravel, another major local travel firm, said most tours to European countries, the US, and Australia are fully booked.

The company has seen an 18% year-on-year increase in the number of booked tours.

Vietrantour also reported a rise of 10% in the number of tour purchasers compared to the same period last year.

According to the travel firms, most outbound tour buyers opt for the tours for year-end shopping and holidaymaking.

Tours which combine vacationing with shopping to such countries as the U.S., European countries, Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are most sought after.

A number of travelers also buy the tours to the countries and cities which boast sparkling pyrotechnic shows and activities to usher in the new year and offer attractive year-end discounts on an array of luxury items, travel firms noted.

Such cities and countries include Dubai, Australia, South America, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore- Malaysia, Hong Kong, France- Belgium- the Netherlands- Germany- Switzerland- Italy, and Italy- France- Spain- Monaco.

This year, tours to South Korea appeal to many clients, who desire for unique experiences of seeing snow falling and joining wintry sports activities in Seorak Mountain Gangwon Province in eastern Korea.

Most local travel companies have kept the prices of year-end outbound and domestic tours stable and several tours even fetch lower prices than those offered during the year.

Local airliners also offer tempting discounts.

Fiditour offers four-day packages to Singapore for around VND7.9 million (US$369), down by some VND2 million compared to the currently available rates.

The packages have sold out in the first few days.

Vietrantour has also launched tempting promotional programs, such as gifting VND2 million ($94) to Japan package buyers from now to the end of March 2015, and offering discounts from VND300,000 to 3 million for early bookers for certain outbound tours.

Tran Thi Viet Huong, of Vietravel, said her company has also offered great discounts on both domestic and international tours.

Packages to Vietnam’s northern and central provinces have seen discounts of VND2.7 to 3 million (up to $140).

Favorite domestic tours involve those to Sa Pa resort town in northern Lao Cai Province, where tourists relish in breathtaking landscapes and seeing snow with their own eyes.

Tours to the east and west northern region also appeal to tourists, particularly those from the south, who yearn for the chilly climate and picturesque blooming sceneries.

Meanwhile, those residing in the north tend to travel to southern provinces.

New highlights have been added to tours to the Mekong Delta, including visits to the Dong Thap Muoi Herbal Medicine Center in Dong Thap Province, where tourists can pick the herbs and learn to concoct alternative medicine themselves.