Plum blossom fever makes Moc Chau overloaded, revenue explodes

Kinhtedothi - The plum blossom season has caused a sudden increase in the number of visitors to Moc Chau (Son La), bringing in a large source of revenue for the local tourism industry. Although many flower gardens have withered, the attraction of the poetic natural scenery still attracts visitors, especially on weekends.

Many gardeners say that in the past few years, this year is the time when flowers are most brilliant.

Number of visitors increased sharply, tourism services benefited

According to data from the Department of Culture and Information of Moc Chau town, from the third day of Tet (January 31, 2025) to now, the locality has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors to visit and experience the plum blossom season. On average, Moc Chau welcomes about 10,000 visitors per day, this number doubles on weekends. It is expected that by the end of February, the total number of visitors may reach 1 million, bringing in an estimated revenue of about 1,200 billion VND.

Tourists flock to Moc Chau walking street.

A tourist garden owner said that the number of visitors this year is much higher than previous years thanks to the most beautiful plum blossoms in many years. The entrance fee to the flower garden remains at VND30,000/adult, free for children, and homestay room rates range from VND600,000 - VND800,000/night. The garden welcomes nearly 1,000 visitors every day. During the two peak weeks, revenue reaches VND300 - 500 million.

In addition to sightseeing, visitors can also rent traditional costumes for 50,000 - 250,000 VND/set, use makeup services, and take photos right in the garden.

Hotels and motels are fully booked; traffic is congested.

The explosion in the number of tourists has caused accommodation facilities in Moc Chau to be constantly overloaded. Currently, the town has about 300 hotels, motels, and homestays, but they are still not enough to meet demand. Many facilities have reported being “full” before Tet.

Ms. Pham Huong Giang, an employee of a travel agency in Hanoi, said that for nearly a month now, the demand for room bookings has increased sharply, many guests who did not book in advance have had to return home or accept sleeping in tents or cars. “Room prices increase by 10-20% on weekends but there is still not enough supply. Some 3-star hotels and above have prices from 800,000 - 1.5 million VND/room/night but are always fully booked. If you want to book a room, you have to contact us at least a week in advance,” Ms. Giang said.

Many travel agencies have now had to switch to organizing day tours to Moc Chau, only serving taking photos with plum blossoms, with prices ranging from 700,000 - 900,000 VND/person, depending on the accompanying services.

Not only is there a shortage of rooms, but traffic is also a problem. Mr. Nguyen Duc Huy (Dong Da district, Hanoi) shared that he and his girlfriend had to return home that night because they could not find a place to stay. “We spent a lot of time looking for a room but failed. Because we were so tired, we had to stay temporarily in Mai Chau (Hoa Binh) before returning to Hanoi,” said Mr. Huy.

Private cars and extended buses moved very slowly from Moc Chau to Hanoi on the afternoon of February 16.

Traffic jams and congestion are common on small roads, rest stops and in the central area of ​​Moc Chau. Even though she traveled on a weekday, Ms. Luong Le Thu (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) still encountered crowded and difficult traffic.

On travel forums, many tourists share their experiences of difficulty finding hotel rooms. Some local households have taken advantage of their private homes to operate accommodation services, helping to reduce the overload of accommodation.

Faced with the sudden increase in visitors, Moc Chau town authorities have recommended that visitors book rooms before departure. At the same time, the locality is coordinating with tourism agencies to update the plum blossom situation and accommodation facilities, ensuring timely information is provided to visitors. In addition, households with vacant rooms are also encouraged to participate in accommodation services if they meet safety and quality conditions.

The plum blossom season in Moc Chau will continue for a short time, promising to attract more tourists to experience the poetic beauty of the Northwest highlands.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/con-sot-hoa-man-khien-moc-chau-qua-tai-doanh-thu-bung-no.html