Published:  00:00 Friday - April 08, 2011

Tourism companies joining the four-day HCMC Tourism Day scheduled to kick off on Thursday at the September 23 Park in the city downtown are offering various promotions with an aim to attract customers for the summer travel season.

Around 80 tourism service providers occupy 140 of the total 172 booths at the seventh annual event. Many companies said they would discount 5% to 10% for domestic tours plus lucky draws and gifts to customers.

Festival Travel, for example, will discount US$120 per tour to the U.S., while TST Tourist will launch lucky draws with prizes being outbound and domestic tours and gifts with a total value of VND2 billion.

Hotels and other service providers also discount room rates and tickets.

Tour operators told the Daily that the companies have been seeing the annual event in recent years as a chance to boost sales.

“Over 100 customers booked services at our booth in last year’s event compared to only 10 in the year before. The event is becoming a good chance to sell products instead of purely a promotion event,” said Doan Thi Thanh Tra, marketing manager of Saigontourist Travel Service Co.

The yearly event is comprised of a travel exhibition, food and music programs, photo exhibitions and programs to honor best brands of travel companies, hotels and other tourist services providers.

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of HCMC’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism as the organizer, said the department is focusing on activities to introduce good brands for travelers and encourage travel firms to develop e-commerce sale channels.

The department is cooperating with the city’s tourism association to select the best tourism service providers including good hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and e-commerce websites among others to promote to customers during the event.

 Khanh said the organizer spends around VND3 trillion on this year’s event, including around VND1 billion from the city’s tourism promotion budget.

Source: The Saigon times