Russian experts highly appreciate the demand of Russian tourists to Vietnam after the reopening of direct flights from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City.
On January 31, Aeroflot began connecting direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City with a frequency of two flights per week, increasing to three flights per week from February 16.
Previously, Russian airline IrAero also flew to Vietnam - from Irkutsk to the capital Hanoi (flying from June 4, 2023) and from February 25, 2024 - to the resort city of Nha Trang.
Russian news agency RIA Novosti gives assessments on whether these new routes will become popular and whether they can compete with the Russia-Thailand route.
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| Aeroflot begins direct flights from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City. (Source: RIA Novosti) |
New milestone
Aeroflot's first direct flight to Ho Chi Minh City departs at 7:35 p.m. on January 31, 2024 and arrives on the morning of February 1. Aeroflot believes that "The new visa-free resort destination (Vietnam) will significantly attract Russian tourists."
Tickets start at 76,000 RUB one way (about $850), while round-trip tickets will cost more than one hundred thousand RUB (equivalent to $1,100). Although more expensive than connecting flights, experts say the launch of direct flights is crucial.
“The most important destination event in the first quarter is Vietnam,” said Maya Kotlyar, CEO of Mayel Travel. “If charter flights are added, Vietnam will become one of the ten, and possibly seven, most popular destinations for Russians.”
High demand
“Sales in Vietnam started as soon as Aeroflot’s direct flights started,” said Daria Domostroeva, PR director at Intourist. “We expect a sharp increase in resort bookings after the direct flights start.”
According to Ms. Daria, resorts a few hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City such as Mui Ne, Phan Thiet or Nha Trang are being targeted by many Russian tourists.
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| Nha Trang is a favorite destination for Russian tourists. (Source: RIA Novosti) |
However, Russian tourists also pay attention to finding transit flights, because these flights are cheaper. "Currently, direct flights are not necessarily convenient, the logistics are complicated. From Ho Chi Minh City to coastal resorts, you still have to continue. The price is expensive. Connecting flights are about 20% cheaper," said Ms. Daria.
Fun&Sun's Head of Public Relations Olga Ivanova said that direct flights to Ho Chi Minh City are definitely in demand among Russian tourists.
"Currently, our guests fly to Nha Trang (on Vietjet's regular flights) via a stopover in Almaty (Kazakhstan) and we see very high demand. Upcoming tours on Aeroflot's regular flights to Vietnam will definitely be in our portfolio," added Ms. Olga Ivanova.
Sletat.ru believes that with the overall increase in Russian tourist traffic to Vietnam, direct flights will be crowded and connecting flights will not lose customers.
“Most tourists prefer to opt for cheaper flights with transit in Bangkok, Dubai or Chengdu, but demand for tours based on direct flights will gradually increase,” said Anna Filatovskaya, director of advertising and PR at tour operator Russian Express.
According to Ms. Anna Filatovskaya, a representative of a travel agency in Moscow, a direct flight from Irkutsk to Ho Chi Minh City is currently of interest to people from the Siberian region (because it takes nearly 6 hours to fly from Moscow to Irkusk).
"Normally, tourists choose Mui Ne and Phan Thiet, which are three and a half hours drive from Ho Chi Minh City airport. However, after this new direct flight, we propose to combine Aeroflot's flight with a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc Island," said Ms. Anna.
According to Sletat.ru, the average bill for a vacation in Vietnam is 189 thousand RUB (equivalent to 2,100 USD). About 38% of tourists stay in 4-star hotels, 35% in 5-star hotels. The cost of most tours is more than 200 thousand RUB (over 2,200 USD) for two people. If staying in a 5-star hotel, it is almost 300 thousand RUB (almost 3,300 USD). These are tours lasting nine days and nights. There are offers for 160-165 thousand RUB (1,800 USD) for six nights.
Compete with Thailand
The question is whether Vietnam can compete with Thailand. The answer is still open. On the one hand, in terms of the number of visitors, Vietnam cannot be compared. A million Russians went on holiday in Thailand last year, while interest in Vietnam is significantly lower. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, charter flights to Vietnam were available, but now they are not.
However, Vietnam has many advantages. For example, the ability to pay with Mir cards and withdraw money from them, through the Vietnam-Russia Bank VRB (Vietnam-Russia Joint Venture Bank). In addition, according to Daria Domostroeva, hotel prices in Vietnam are still low. Therefore, Vietnam as a destination can be similar to Thailand, which has increased prices significantly due to high demand from Russian and increasingly Chinese tourists.
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| Phu Quoc Island is attracting interest from Russian tourists. (Source: RIA Novosti) |
“Vietnam could become a popular destination if there are direct flights to resorts like Phu Quoc and Nha Trang,” explains Ms. Kotlyar of Mayel Travel. “Aeroflot’s return to service at the end of January is a test. If everything goes smoothly, charter flights will also recover. But this is a scenario for the second half of 2024, not earlier.”
The expert also noted that hotels in Vietnam are 20-30% cheaper than in “overheated” Thailand. Another advantage is that “package” tours have been implemented in Vietnam for a long time, while they are not available in Thailand. “Vietnam will find its place. I think Vietnam will be able to welcome over half a million Russian tourists per year,” Kotlyar said.
“Russians come as families or couples and like high-end services. A must-have in the tours is to learn about local cuisine, markets, street food and participate in folklore events,” said Sriram Kailasam, general manager of the Regent Phu Quoc Hotel.
What to eat and what to see
Even before the pandemic, one of the most popular questions on Russian forums was about the “package” system. “Hotels in Vietnam all have Package tours,” Intourist advises. “However, they are mostly different from the Turkish “package” prices that many Russians are used to.
The company also notes that travelers should not limit themselves to package tours. “Outside the hotels, in the bustling resorts, there are many cheap cafes and restaurants serving local cuisine and flavors,” Ms. Domostroeva asserts.
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| Beef noodle soup and many other Vietnamese dishes are favorite dishes of Russian tourists. (Source: RIA Novosti) |
“My first impression of Vietnam was the fragrant beef pho in the morning after a tiring night flight,” recalls traveler Inga Bushueva. “At first I didn’t want to eat it, but in the end, it turned out to be exactly what I needed.”
The smell of the famous fish sauce is indistinguishable. Another specialty is Vietnamese milk coffee.
The tour program in Vietnam is also very rich. If talking about Ho Chi Minh City, where Aeroflot flies to, it is the famous Cu Chi guerrilla tunnels - a memory of the war, and the Mekong Delta tour. The street food and markets in this city, which many people call Saigon, are extremely attractive. A place not to be missed is the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, a typical French-style heritage.
In Nha Trang, from the summer of 2022, there will be a tour of the Bay on the Triton DeepView 24 diving boat in the Vinpearl resort complex. The boat can accommodate 24 people and can dive to a depth of 100 meters. Its transparent hull provides excellent visibility for those on board.
From Nha Trang, visitors can go to the highland city of Da Lat, or to the entertainment area where the famous Golden Bridge is located (Da Nang).
In the north of Vietnam, where the capital Hanoi is located, there is a famous natural wonder, Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has over three thousand islands, small rocks, cliffs and caves of unbelievable beauty.
(According to RIA Novosti, January 31, 2024)
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