After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, S9 Travel Agent in Hai Phong has resumed its "Hanoi tour", a one-day trip to Hanoi by train, and its one-day tour of Hai Phong for tourists from Hanoi and other nearby localities including Hung Yen and Bac Ninh.
Tourists come to Hai Phong by train, explore the city, and enjoy Hai Phong’s popular street food – coconut milk coffee, spicy sandwich sticks, field crab red noodle soup, square crab spring rolls, and sautéed snails. Then they stroll beside Tam Bạc Lake, visit the city’s big bridges, and mingle themselves in the busy night life at the port, the largest seaport in northern Vietnam.
Luu Hoang Diep, Director of S9 Travel Agent, said the pandemic has forced tourism companies and travel agents to adapt to a new situation.
“We’ve changed our operation and customer approach completely. We now design short trips focusing more on culture instead of big combo tours. We have changed routes and modes of transportation, and targeted more on families instead of large groups,” said Diep.
He recalled, “Before the pandemic, Hai Phong was known for the tourism model that combines meetings, conferences, and business events with marine tourism. Now visitors to Hai Phong can only enjoy the seaside.”
Many travel firms in Hai Phong have diversified their tourism products and targeted specific groups – a model that has been proved effective at this time. Tourists now prefer to travel with their family or a small group of friends and use high-end services.
Nguyen Bich Dung, Marketing Director of the Flamingo Cat Ba Beach Resort, Hai Phong, said restaurants and hotels in the city are offering lots of attractive combos.
According to Dung, “In response to the city’s tourism stimulus program and to mark the 25th founding anniversary of the Flamingo Group, we’ve launched product packages at attractive prices. These include weekend resort packages where guests pay only the accommodation fees and receive unlimited utilities or a package of accommodation services with meetings.”
In the current pandemic situation, travel agents, restaurants, and hotels in Hai Phong are stepping up cooperation for mutual benefit.
Hoang Tuan Anh, Deputy Chairman of the municipal Tourism Association, says his organization has connected tourism companies in Hai Phong and other places to boost demand.
Tuan Anh said, “The Association has called on its members to develop new products and link tourist destinations and tours in Hai Phong and vicinity with luxury services. Travel agents should prepare for reopening by launching new packages.”
Hai Phong hopes to attract 9.5 million visitors this year and has launched promotion programs to stimulate travel demand.