Tour operators hope charter flights to Vietnam will resume in 2025

MOSCOW. Jan 24 (Interfax) - Russian tourism to Vietnam increased by 85% in 2024, but direct charter flights are needed to reach the 2019 figures, the Russian Union of Travel Industry said on Friday.

"Tourism to Vietnam increased by 85% in 2024, tour operators included this destination in the top 10 this winter. But a return to the pre-pandemic figures is prevented by a limited number of direct flights: flights from Moscow are only to Ho Chi Minh, IrAero flies to Nha Trang, Hanoi and Phu Quoc Island from Irkutsk. Tourists are actively using flights with connections, but, as tour operators say, the destination will not become massive without resumption of charter flights," the union said in a statement.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko earlier said at a meeting with the Vietnamese prime minister that 232,000 Russian tourists visited Vietnam in 2024. Some 600,000 Russian tourists visited Vietnam in 2019.

"The sales of tours to Vietnam increased stably in 2024. The destination is among the 10 most popular countries, the sales depth reaches two months. But Vietnam has always been, above all else, a charter product for tour operators. No doubt, the Russian market, and also the Vietnamese side are expecting the opening of charter transportation," the Russian Union of Travel Industry press service said, citing Viktoria Khudayeva, the head of the public relations department of the Anex tour operator.

The Fun&Sun tour operator has Vietnam among the top 10 most popular destinations. The demand for the destination doubled this winter from last year.

"The increase is due to the appearance of direct flights to the country from Moscow and the diversity of flights with connections. For example, through China and the United Arab Emirates, such travel format is very popular. But mass demand is out of the question as there are no charter flights from Russia and Aeroflot only flies to Ho Chi Minh, from where people need to spend several hours to each sea resort," the company's PR director Olga Ivanova said.

The tour operator's sales leader is Mui Ne, located close to Ho Chi Minh. Popular Nha Trang, to which there are no direct flights, is in second place. It is followed by Phu Quoc and Hon Tre Islands, located near Nha Trang. Tourists prefer 4-5 star hotels.

According to ITM Group, the sales of tours to Vietnam increased fourfold in 2024.

"Last year, we sent almost four times more tourists to Vietnam than we did the year before, which is 2.5 times more than in the pre-pandemic 2019. This year, the demand continues to grow. Phu Quoc Island tops the sales in winter, in summer the emphasis is moved to central Vietnam, the resorts Da Nang, Nha Trang and excursion programs. Direct Aeroflot flights to Ho Chi Minh are in demand, but there are not enough of them, therefore, we are expecting the return of Vietnam Airlines," Irina Yurina, the head of the tour operator's product development department, said.