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Soaring airfares, poor nightlife to challenge Vietnam tourism this year: experts
Industry insiders have pointed to skyrocketing airfares and poor nightlife as continuing challenges for Vietnam's domestic tourism this year as increasing numbers of travelers opt to go abroad instead.
Dinh Thi Thu Thao, sales director of Mustgo Travel Company, said Vietnam's domestic tourism market would also suffer because travelers are tightening their spending amid the economic downturn.
Some carriers such as Bamboo Airways, Pacific Airlines and Vietravel Airlines have suspended domestic routes to tourist destinations like Phu Quoc, Nha Trang and Quy Nhon, causing airfares to soar.
The increase in the ceiling price of domestic air tickets from March could discourage people from traveling, Thao said.
"Domestic destinations that are mainly connected by air will face lots of difficulties while traveling abroad has become increasingly easy with cheap costs," Thao said.
Bui Thanh Tu, marketing director of travel company Best Price, said this year many tourists would save costs by choosing nearby destinations easily accessible by car to avoid expensive airfares.
This means they will stay fewer days, causing low hotel occupancy rates, Tu added.
In addition, poor nightlife activities in major cities like Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang have also disappointed tourists, Tu said.
Many tourists have complained they have limited entertainment options at night in Vietnam's major cities as most establishments and eateries close by 10 p.m., leaving them few opportunities to spend money.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam last month predicted the number of domestic air passengers would decrease 8% this year, primarily due to the suspension of domestic routes with low demand and the likelihood of increased ticket prices.
Domestic airlines transported 74 million passengers this year, up 34.5% from 2022 and the equivalent of nearly 94% of pre-pandemic levels.
Amid soaring airfares at home, many Vietnamese have been flocking to travel abroad due to cheap airfares and budget-friendly tour packages.
Last year, five million Vietnamese traveled abroad, double the 2022 figure, with Thailand, South Korea and Japan being the most favored destinations.
Tu of Best Price said the outbound tourism market would remain busy this year as official external affairs activities between Vietnam and South Korea and China are expected to to boost tourism.
In terms of inbound travel, experts said long wait times for visa approvals and issuance remain a bottleneck that should be resolved as soon as possible.
Pham Hai Quynh, director of the Institute of Asian Tourism Development, said granting three-month tourist visas for all countries in the world was a bright spot for Vietnamese tourism last year.
But many travelers have still complained time-wasting procedures that triggered long wait times for visa approvals.
Vietnam received 12.6 million foreign arrivals last year, less than half of Thailand's 28 million.
This year Vietnam targets 18 million foreign arrivals, equal to its record number achieved in 2019.
注释：
eatery: n
表示"小餐馆"，means "a building where people go to eat"，如：We met in a little eatery just off the main road.我们在主要道路旁的小餐馆见面。
outbound: adj
表示" (离开某一特定地点)向外去的"，means "that is going out or leaving"，如：Outbound passengers often have to go to a separate terminal. 出国的旅客通常走单独的通道。
中文简要说明：
2024年开始了，世界各国都把观光旅游视为提振经济的解药。越南旅游业界人士观察，越南民众选择出国旅游的人数持续增加，境内国旅市场有两大因素形成不易克服的挑战：机票价格飞涨、夜生活卖点不够。倘若想招揽外国观光客入境旅游，还得再加上签证审批时间过长的瓶颈因素。
越南网媒《越南快讯》报导，Mustgo旅行社业务总监丁氏秋草（Dinh Thi Thu Thao，音译）说，近期经济景气相对低迷，民众消费紧缩，冲击今年的国内旅游市场。
越竹航空、太平洋航空、越旅航空（Vietravel Airlines）均已暂停飞往南部景点富国岛（Phu Quoc）、中部旅游胜地芽庄（Nha Trang）与归仁（Quy Nhon）的航班，导致机票价格大涨。丁氏秋草说，今年3月起，机票价格的天花板还会再拉高，届时很可能大幅影响民众出游意愿：「出国旅游变得愈来愈容易，价格低廉，仰赖空中交通衔接的国内旅游目的地将面临多重困境。」
越南Best Price旅行社营销总监裴清秀（Bui Thanh Tu，音译）分析，民众为了节约开销，今年多半会倾向找比较近的目的地自驾旅游，不会花大钱买昂贵的机票。这代表游客在目的地停留天数减少，旅宿入住率下降。
河内、胡志明市、岘港等一线大城夜生活的活动内容乏善可陈，也令游客失望，影响造访意愿。不少游客抱怨，这些大城市的夜间娱乐场所选择有限，大多数餐厅、娱乐场所晚上10时打烊，想花钱也没地方去。
越南民航局上个月预测，2024年越南国内线航空旅客将减少8%，主因需求低迷的国内航线停飞、机票价格可能大涨。2023年越南国内线航空旅客总计7400万人次，比2022年增加34.5%，相当于新冠疫情前旅次的94%。
国内线机票价格飙升态势无可避免，消费者纷纷转向境外旅游市场，机票价格相对便宜，经济实惠的套装产品也有吸引力。2023年有500万越南人出国旅游，比2022年增加1倍，泰国、南韩、日本最受欢迎。裴清秀说，今年出国旅游市场仍看俏，因为越南与南韩、中国之间的外交互动可望提振旅游业发展。
要吸引外国观光客到访越南，眼前还有个签证的难关要解决。越南目前只对少数国家公民提供免签入境优惠，申请签证审批等待时间漫长，引发观光客抱怨。越南去年接待外国游客1260万人次，比起泰国全年2800万人次少了一半以上。越南今年吸引外国旅客入境目标设定1800万人次，这是2019年创下的历史纪录。
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