Ho Chi Minh City is offering free or discounted hotel rates for night flight passengers to attract more visitors and offset summer airfare hikes, thanks to a new program by the city's Department of Tourism.

The department recently joined hands with Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, travel firms, and lodging establishments in the city to launch the program soon, it said, without elaborating on the exact date.

The program will also contribute to stimulating the travel demand in the context of increased air ticket prices during the ongoing peak of the summer travel season.

Vietnam Airlines is encouraging hotels to create package deals that include reasonably priced air tickets, particularly for flights departing before 6:00 am and after 9:00 pm.

For instance, hotels might offer a free or 80-percent discounted room rate for the first night for guests arriving on night flights, as long as they stay for at least three nights.

By July 8, 16 accommodation providers in the city had registered to participate in the program and brought forward their own discounts from 20 to 100 percent.

District 5's Dong Khanh Hotel will provide free rooms for the first night and charge normal rates from the second night.

The Myst Dong Khoi Hotel in District 1 offers a 49-percent discount for the first night, 53 percent for the second, plus daily buffet breakfast and afternoon tea every day from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, along with free pool, gym, sauna, and steam bath access.

Muong Thanh Luxury Saigon Hotel in Phu Nhuan District gives a 45-percent discount for the first night and charges full rates for the second. Guests staying at least three nights also get free airport transport from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on check-out day.

Liberty Central Saigon hotels offer a 59-percent discount for the first night and full rates for the second night.

A25 Hotel Group in Ho Chi Minh City offers two packages: 50 percent off the first night and 20 percent off the second for two-night stays, and 70 percent off the first night and 20 percent off the second for three-night stays.

Vietnam Airlines will collaborate with these 16 hotels to offer combo packages including round-trip tickets and hotel stays with discounted rates.

Other tourist destinations like Hanoi, Da Nang, and Nha Trang have also started similar programs to attract more visitors.

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